Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella emphasized his belief in giving players a "clean slate" to start the season as the Flyers prepare to kick off their preseason game schedule against the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella emphasized his belief in giving players a "clean slate" to start the season as the Flyers prepare to kick off their preseason game schedule against the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella emphasized his belief in giving players a "clean slate" to start the season as the Flyers prepare to kick off their preseason game schedule against the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
"The past is the past," he said. "When you say 'clean slate,' it usually means, 'Are you still mad at that guy?' I'm not that way."
He clarified that the clean slate didn't mean that the upcoming season was a complete factory reset, referring to players that made significant improvements and how he wants to see them continue to build on those strides.
"It's not a clean slate as far as far as the bank accounts you have with me," he said. "What [Owen Tippett] has done, what [Tyson Foerster] has done, I certainly have to see progression."
The Flyers' head coach also dispelled any ideas that he's holding any kind of grudge against any players, emphasizing that he doesn't operate that way when he coaches this team.
"The [real] question being asked is, 'Does [this player] have a chance, or is he still in your doghouse?'" Tortorella said. "There is no doghouse. There really never is. But I'm anxious to see—I'm not gonna name names right now, but after two days and [seeing] some guys I've never really seen before, I wanna see some guys [play]."
He shouted out prospects Jett Luchanko and Oliver Bonk as two prospects he was "anxious" to see in the preseason schedule, hinting that Flyers fans could see the two feature with players on the NHL roster after both made extremely positive impressions during rookie camp.
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