The Philadelphia Flyers are undergoing one of their all-too-familiar losing streaks. With five consecutive regulation losses in that stretch, they sit at 27-31-8, risking a potential basement finish to their 2024-25 campaign. As it stands, only five teams have fewer points than them.
Even two games ago, it was evident to head coach John Tortorella that his team needed a spark. But his vision for getting that spark was fairly controversial. Defenseman Cam York served as the sacrificial lamb in Philadelphia’s must-win matchup against the Seattle Kraken on March 8—he was a healthy scratch in the eventual 4-1 loss. Like any player in his shoes, the 24-year-old didn’t agree with his coach’s decision.
“Obviously, being scratched the other day was… I didn’t think I deserved a scratch […] If there was communication, then maybe I would understand.”
from – ‘Cam York speaks on Saturday’s benching, lack of communication with John Tortorella: “I didn’t think I deserved a scratch”’ – Charlie O’Connor – PHLY Sports – 03/11/2025
The second part of that quote is what spurred some discussion. York is one of the Flyers’ best defensemen in the objective sense, so being scratched for reasons unbeknownst to him is an eye-opener. That got the attention of a former Flyers defender, who also happens to be a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame: Chris Pronger.
Pronger Criticizes Tortorella’s Approach to York
Pronger took to X (formerly Twitter) to hash out his thoughts. Under O’Connor’s article, he recalled a similar situation with a different player from last season. Sean Couturier, who was only about a month removed from being named captain of the team, was a healthy scratch in back-to-back March contests. Puzzled as to why he was getting the doghouse treatment from his bench boss, he trucked along anyway. Here’s what Pronger had to say:
He did this with Couturier last year. What is the reasoning? Have the media gotten an answer? If the player is not playing up to par then explain EXACTLY what he needs to fix to be more effective. Not use “he needs to be better” That is a cop out
— Chris Pronger (@chrispronger) March 11, 2025
This isn’t just any player coming after Tortorella’s tough-love tactics, and it’s not just any Hall of Fame player, either. It’s Chris Pronger—a hard-nosed, old-school player criticizing a hard-nosed, old-school coach. These comments have just a bit more weight when they’re written by an individual cut from the same cloth as the person being discussed. It takes one to know one.
Furthermore, Pronger was an essential leader on the last Flyers team that made the Stanley Cup Final. He’s a beloved figure in Philadelphia as a result, so people listen to and respect what he has to say. Whether or not he’s on the right or wrong side of history here, Pronger coming to the defense of York means something.
Does he bring up a good point? Is it Tortorella’s responsibility to address York with what he needs to work on, or should the player be taking the initiative?
Pronger Claims Tortorella Has Lost the Room Once Again
Pronger continued to comment on the situation, but this next post was less of a defense of York. Rather, it was a commentary on Tortorella alone, claiming the coach has lost the support of his players (again). But first, some context.
On March 23 of last season, the Flyers had a 36-26-9 record, placing them third in the Metropolitan Division standings with 11 games to spare. While the race was tight, a playoff berth felt more likely than not. Then, the collapse ensued. Losing eight straight, the Orange and Black succumbed to the pressure.
Related: 3 Reasons for the Flyers’ End-Of-Season Collapse in 2023-24
During that dreadful skid, the Flyers’ bench boss addressed the idea that the team was “quitting” on him. That he had lost the locker room. Well, it’s certainly clear what Pronger’s stance is. In his mind, Tortorella lost the room then, and history is repeating itself now:
Again. Lost it last year at the end of the year
— Chris Pronger (@chrispronger) March 11, 2025
Pronger didn’t hold back here. Constantly “losing the room” as a coach is obviously pretty bad. So, if there’s truth to what he’s saying, it’s not something to be taken lightly. But is Pronger right? Is Tortorella’s style alienating his players?
Is Tortorella Going Stale in Philadelphia?
Tortorella, now 66 years of age, probably doesn’t see himself as anything more than a bridge coach anyway. But could this be that infamous “going stale” phase of his coaching tenure? While he can light a fire under his players, that flame eventually dies out. When the flame dies out, you get uninspiring hockey. It begs the question: how much longer does he have?
Tortorella is under contract through the 2025-26 season for the Flyers. But maybe they see what’s out there in the 2025 offseason. Since they’ll need a long-term head coach anyway (unless Tortorella sticks around through his 70s), would it be a good idea to get a head start on that? Pronger’s comments bring a fairly important topic to light.
Still, was Pronger out of line for his Tortorella tirade, or did he hit the nail on the head? Feel free to share your thoughts below!
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