The Philadelphia Flyers are currently working through a rebuild. And yet, they are on the cusp of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Philadelphia is third in the Metropolitan Division at this time. However, the team is not comfortable in that position. Head coach John Tortorella wants his team to keep their focus.
Tortorella specifically wants his team to be wary of moral victories. “We’ve got to be really careful with the moral victories here,” Tortorella said after a 6-5 loss to the Boston Bruins, via NHL.com. “I appreciate how hard we worked and kept on playing. We’ve got to be really careful.”
Tortorella's warning makes some sense. The Flyers are certainly playing ahead of their rebuild timeline. But with the playoffs in sight, the team needs to adjust their mindset. Philadelphia needs points and wins as opposed to playing well but still losing.
What John Tortorella wants from Flyers
Tortorella acknowledged the need for points moving forward. The Flyers have a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for third place in the Metro. Behind them, the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have gained ground in the playoff race.
“We’re just going to get ready to play our games and try to find a way to get points,” said Tortorella, via NHL.com. “That’s the only way you can stay in the hunt. So, we can’t be concerned about the other stuff going on with other teams. We have to be concerned about our club.”
The Flyers have 14 games remaining in the regular season. And they play their direct Metropolitan Division competitors down the stretch. On April 1, they take on the Islanders at home. Their final two games of the season are against the Devils and Capitals in front of their home fans.
Philadelphia has control over their destiny in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But John Tortorella and the Flyers have to hold up their end of the bargain moving forward. In any event, this is certainly a team to watch as the 2023-24 NHL season draws to a close.
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