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.
Related: Miller’s Opinion: Tortorella Should’ve Been A Jack Adams Finalist If The Flyers Made The Playoffs
“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.
Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News
Recent Flyers News
Flyers Defenseman Uses His Journey From Russia To Help Michkov Adjust To America
PODCAST: Rookie Camp Recap Special
Flyers Trio Ready To Play After Offseason Surgeries
Flyers Head Coach Praises Team Mentality; Looks Forward To New Season
Ex-Flyers Forward Signs With New Team
Flyers Star Is Big Bounce-Back Candidate
Carson Bjarnason Wants To Be The Best As He Prepares For Flyers Training Camp
Flyers Give More Insight Into Kolosov Saga
