During his end-of-season press conference, NBC Universal, Inc. reported that Flyers head coach John Tortorella lamented the team’s lack of playoff success and the future of their rebuild.
This season, the relationship between the Flyers’ head coach and captain was strained.
Not quite good enough.
If they did, John Tortorella would not have spent a significant portion of his season-ending press conference addressing the coach-captain marriage, which was ironically forged on Valentine’s Day and has had its ups and downs since.
If things had gone well, Sean Couturier would not have been as perplexed and disappointed when he was benched for two games in the midst of a playoff chase.
“I know what Sean said to you guys after, and it kind of threw me off surprise, but
Flyers head coach John Tortorella discussed missing the playoffs and the future of the rebuild at his end-of-the-season press conference.
Things did not go well enough between the Flyers’ head coach and captain this season.
Not nearly well enough.
If they did, John Tortorella wouldn’t have spent a chunk of his end-of-the-season press conference discussing the coach-captain marriage, a relationship that was ironically formed on Valentine’s Day and has had its bumps ever since.
If things went well enough, Sean Couturier wouldn’t have been as confounded and frustrated when he was benched for two games in the heat of a playoff race.
“I know what Sean said to you guys after, it kind of caught me off guard a little bit, but I think it’s the first time Sean has been through something like that,” Tortorella said last Friday. “So it really wasn’t a big deal for me. I think it turned into a bunch of drama.”
As the Flyers reflect on their rebuilding season falling short of the playoffs, they have plenty of work ahead. Both Tortorella and general manager Danny Briere admitted the organization has a ways to go in its process after missing the postseason for a fourth consecutive year.
Two key pieces to the puzzle are Tortorella and Couturier. And together they need to fit better. The importance of their relationship should not be overlooked. Players watch Couturier and they listen to Tortorella. If those two are not on the same page, just a tad off, there’s a trickle-down effect.
