Flyers Head Coach Refuses to Give Explanation for Healthy Scratches

Siobhan Nolan

Jan 5, 2024, 11:00

Siobhan Nolan

Jan 5, 2024, 11:00

John Tortorella also said that it wasn't hard to scratch the players in question.

Another game, another treasure trove of John Tortorella quotes to unpack.

After the Philadelphia Flyers blew a 2-0 lead to lose in a shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tortorella was immediately questioned on why he decided to healthy scratch Morgan Frost and Cam Atkinson for the game. The coach's explanation?

Well, he didn't really give any.

Tortorella simply said that Atkinson and Frost "knew why" they had been scratched, and that that reasoning would stay between him and the players.

Tortorella gave an equally blunt response when asked if it was a hard decision to scratch Atkinson: "No."

While he didn't comment specifically on Frost, this is not the first time there has been friction between coach and player. Back in October, Tortorella scratched Frost for six straight games, causing a swell of speculation as to why. Simply put, Tortorella didn't think Frost was putting in his best efforts.

Frost then found it difficult to get back into the lineup after his ice time was given to Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster, who made good use of it.

Although Tortorella did eventually give Frost chances to re-establish his place in the lineup, it didn't stop him from making some brutal comments about his center, including remarking that his form was "up and down like a toilet seat."

It remains to be seen whether Tortorella will re-consider these two scratches for the Flyers' next game against the Calgary Flames on Jan. 6.