The Philadelphia Flyers raised the bar last season.
Led by head coach Rick Tocchet, the Flyers didn’t just surge into the Eastern Conference playoffs. They won their first-round series over their rival Pittsburgh Penguins.
But with achievement comes responsibility, and that success meant the Flyers entered this season with the hockey world believing they were capable of doing great things.
They have started horrifically, though.
Something isn’t right in Philadelphia at the moment, and so there’s a chance Tocchet is on the hot seat.
Flyers’ Rick Tocchet Firing Rumors
Sportsnet’s Michael Amato wrote on Sunday about the idea that Tocchet might be on the hot seat.
Amato’s overall take is that it’s fair to believe Tocchet’s job isn’t totally safe.
“The Philadelphia Flyers’ surprising run to the post-season last spring was a great story, but it also brought with it the weight of expectations,” Amato writes. “Philly’s rebuild was accelerated and now a slow start has some hitting the panic button. The Flyers are still winless on the season and have been outscored 24-7 and outshot 219-121 in six games, putting the focus on Rick Tocchet to turn things around quickly. Typically, coaches that are on the hot seat are not those from teams that aren’t expected to push for the playoffs. The ones that are in trouble tend to be from squads that are expected to take a step forward, and based on what the Flyers did last season, missing the playoffs should be deemed unacceptable. If Tocchet doesn’t turn things around soon, he could be in trouble.”
The shooting numbers are absolutely astounding. It’s like the Flyers aren’t even in the same stratosphere as their opponents when it comes to creating offense.
And the reality is that that’s a stat about both ends of the ice. Part of the problem is that Philly is giving up too many shots. But yeah, the Flyers also aren’t shooting the puck enough themselves.
Will Flyers Fire Rick Tocchet?
Amato certainly seems to think that if the Flyers don’t turn it around, Tocchet could be in trouble.
“It’s not just that the Flyers are winless on the season, it’s the fact that their brand of hockey has been so uninspiring,” Amato writes. “Philadelphia has posted fewer than 20 shots in four of its six contests and has allowed an average of 36 shots per game, last in the league. Plus, there’s been the questionable usage of rookie Porter Martone. Last season, Martone burst onto the scene with 10 points in the Flyers’ final nine games and added two more goals in the playoffs. He was supposed to be a huge driving force for Philly this season but is only playing about 13 minutes per night. Every team goes through rough stretches at points of a long season, but most coaches won’t be able to survive the level of futility the Flyers have displayed thus far.”
The Flyers lost on Sunday to the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-1 — in their seventh game of the season, which was played after Amato wrote his article.
Clearly, Tocchet hasn’t figured this out yet. It’s not clear if he’ll get a chance to before he’s done in Philadelphia.
Flyers’ Rick Tocchet Warned About Firing