The Philadelphia Flyers are entering a new era. Head coach John Tortorella is entering his first season with the team, and he has some serious questions about the culture within the locker room.
Coming off a dismal 2021-22 season in which the Flyers went 25-46-11, the team will also be without long-time captain Claude Giroux, who is now a member of the Ottawa Senators.
After learning more about last season by talking to people within the organization, including general manager Chuck Fletcher, Tortorella is troubled by the lack of leadership and accountability in the locker room. Once training camp opens, Tortorella’s top priority will be fixing the culture in Philadelphia.
“As far as the room, I have major concerns about the room,” Tortorella told SiriusXM’s NHL Network Radio. “I’ve spent the summer going back and forth. I live in New York and go back and forth to Philly trying to relocate there. Spent some time in the office talking to players, talking to personnel, talking to Chuck (Fletcher), and all of the front office. I have major concerns about what goes on in there. Before we even step on the ice, situations and standards and accountability in the room is forefront. You can’t get squat done on the ice until you get your room straightened out, and I think we have a little bit of work to do there.”
With so many questions about where leadership will come from, Tortorella was blunt about the Flyers’ vacant captaincy.
“I am in no rush to name a captain, so that’s that,” Tortorella said.
After entering last season as a popular pick to make the postseason, the Flyers cratered early and never recovered. This offseason, Philadelphia has made some minor tweaks to the roster by adding defenseman Tony DeAngelo and winger Nic Deslauriers. Other than that, the Flyers will have to find answers from the players already on the roster.
