John Tortorella said changing the culture will be one of his first priorities as coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.
“I have major concerns about the (locker) room,” Tortorella told SiriusXM NHL Network Radio on Wednesday. “I’ve spent some time in the office talking to players, talking to personnel, talking to (general manager) Chuck (Fletcher), all 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 at the 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.”
Tortorella was hired as coach June 17 to replace Mike Yeo after the Flyers (25-46-11) finished last in the eight-team Metropolitan Division and 15th of 16 in the Eastern Conference last season. He said conversations with players throughout the offseason made him feel a bit uneasy about how certain situations were handled in the locker room.
Philadelphia will begin training camp Sept. 21. It will play its first game of the 2022-23 season Oct. 13 against the New Jersey Devils.
“I feel it,” he said. “I feel it with my stomach, in my conversations, just in the time I’ve been there. I know it’s the offseason and not in the heat (of the season). I’ve talked to many players. I wasn’t on a fact-finding tour or anything like that. Just listened to players talk, listened to … I just felt it.
“You can’t get anything done on the ice until that room is together. I believe the athletes, a bunch of them are together, but how the business is done there, I have a different feel for how it should be done. I ‘ve expressed that. Going at it, once the 21st starts and our camp starts, it’s something I’m going to watch, try to address, fix things as they come about and try to get it where I think it should be.”
The Flyers’ key offseason move was acquiring a defenseman Tony DeAngelo in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 8. They also signed forward Nicolas Deslauriers to a four-year contract ($1.75 million average annual value) and defenseman Justin Braun to a one-year, $1.75 million contract July 13.
DeAngelo was acquired to help a power play that was last in the NHL last season (12.6 percent); his 20 power-play points led Hurricanes defensemen.
But Tortorella said he is looking forward to what DeAngelo can potentially bring to the locker room in Philadelphia as well.
“I think Tony is going to give us some personality,” he said. “I think he’s going to give us competitiveness, he’s going to give us some will. I think he’s maturing. I think he knows that he can’t run off with his mouth at certain times. I’m certainly not going to muzzle him.” ; I think that’s part of his personality. But I think he’s maturing in that part of it. Everybody I’ve talked to about him that’s played with him loves him, coaches, because he goes to battle for you. He’s that type of guy .
“He’s a good player. I’m really anxious to coach him and see what he’s all about.”
.