The Philadelphia Flyers failed to take off again this season; they couldn’t make the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year. They finished the season 33-39-10, and John Tortorella made it clear as day that he was not the man for the job. “This falls on me. I’m not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season, where we’re at right now,” Tortorella said in a surprisingly bold statement in late March.

“When you’re in this type of situation, and you’re losing all the time, and there’s nothing at the end of the tunnel for you, there’s certainly going to be some frustration,” the former head coach added after his team lost game after game, falling out of the wildcard race. Naturally, the Flyers needed a reset, and now, over a month after relieving Tortorella of his head coach duties, they’ve hired a Flyers veteran, Rick Tocchet.

Tocchet is a true Flyer in every sense of the word, as the now 61-year-old coach was once a power forward for the team. In fact, Rick Tocchet started his NHL journey with the Philadelphia Flyers when they drafted him in 1983. Now, decades later, Tocchet will coach the team that helped him launch his hockey career. Unfortunately, the entire fan base doesn’t see the return of the Flyers’ veteran as a cause for celebration.

While many are on board, others aren’t. “This hiring is ridiculous,” said one fan. “Lavvy (Peter Laviolette) should’ve been the man that was re-hired,” wrote the fan. His argument was simple: Laviolette has more accolades. “He’s a proven winner in the NHL as head coach, and Rick Tocchet hasn’t won anything as an NHL head coach. Signing a former Flyers player as head coach was not the correct way to go,” argued the fan.

While Peter Laviolette never donned a Philadelphia Flyers jersey as a player, he did lead the team after John Stevens in 2009. What’s more? The Stanley Cup-winning coach led the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup finals. However, the NHL team felt that the now former Vancouver Canucks coach was a better fit for their future.

Philadelphia Flyers continued to debate the merit of hiring Tocchet

Some fans were optimistic about the NHL team hiring someone who has played for them for nearly a decade. “Nice to have him back… Maybe win more next year,” one fan commented while stating their optimistic request for the new head coach. Rick Tocchet shared that optimism as he geared up to once again work with the Flyers.

“I’ve always been a Flyer at heart and have taken that passion and energy that embodies this city and organization with me throughout my career,” the former Vancouver Canucks head coach said after taking up the job. However, this time, the Philadelphia Flyers alumni will have a harder job. The team has been on a downturn for the last five years, and the Flyers’ administration will look to him to lift them out of this slump.

And this is where many are finding it hard to place their faith in Tocchet. “Copy and paste response that you could change with Penguins just as easily if he went there,” commented one Flyers faithful. While we don’t know what Tocchet would’ve said if he signed up with the Penguins again, it’s undeniable that Tocchet’s most noteworthy achievement came with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Tocchet helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup as their assistant coach in 2016 and ’17. Meanwhile, others didn’t find his career as a head coach good enough. “So overrated, what has Tocchet ever done as a coach?” questioned one fan. “Made the playoffs 2 times, losing record, and absolutely sucked as a coach last year,” added the Philadelphia Flyers fan.

It’s not difficult to see why the fan would ask questions. The coach’s career record of 286-265-87 doesn’t inspire confidence in everyone. His work with the Canucks this season hasn’t been stellar either. Tocchet’s Canucks finished the season with 38-30-14 and in 5th position in the Pacific division. However, others saw a brighter future with the former Flyers star.

“This will be good for the Flyers!” commented one excited Philadelphia Flyers fan. It’s safe to say the administration shared this excitement. “I am very happy to welcome Rick Tocchet as our head coach. During this process, it became clear that Rick was the absolute right coach to lead our team,” said Danny Briere while making the announcement.

Yet, such a statement raised one question. Why did GM Danny Briere, President Keith Jones, and Governor Dan Hilferty find the 61-year-old to be the perfect fit? After all, as many fans pointed out, his record doesn’t look the most impressive on paper. Well, the Philadelphia Flyers had an explanation for that, too. Ketih Jones explained why the NHL coach fit their rebuilding plans.

Jones explained that hockey players “gravitate” towards Tocchet and develop a bond. Whether it’s a rookie taking their first steps in the NHL or a seasoned veteran, Tocchet has a way of inspiring passion in a team, added Briere. So there’s only one thing the divided fan base can do. They’ll have to wait and watch, which half has the right hunch on John Tortorella’s successor.