NHLBy Michael Dixon on

The Philadelphia Flyers reportedly hired John Tortorella to be their head coach on Thursday. And at least one of his longtime former players isn’t optimistic about the outlook.

Brandon Dubinsky played for Tortorella for much of his career, first with the New York Rangers and later with the Columbus Blue Jackets. After the move was reported, Dubinsky was on Twitter with a message for Tortorella’s new players in Philadelphia.

Dubinsky shading his former coach did not go unnoticed. The opinions were divided, though. Some thought — or at least, hoped — that it was nothing more than a former NHL player rehashing an old grudge with one of his former coaches.

Several hockey fans, though, came down on the side of Dubinsky.

Tortorella is known for being abrasive an confrontational and often, his own players aren’t spared from that. So, it’s easy to see why Dubinsky is not his biggest supporter.

But it’s also easy to understand why the Flyers hired him. Since his Stanley Cup win in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tortorella has only reached the conference once. But in the 15 seasons he’s coached since then, his teams have reached the postseason 10 times. Philadelphia, meanwhile, has missed the playoffs six times over the last 10 seasons — including both of the last two. Tortorella’s teams have generally at least reached that plateau.

Regardless of how things go for Tortorella with the Flyers, Dubinsky’s Twitter feed might be a good one to keep an eye on.

About Michael Dixon

Michael is a writer and editor for The Comeback Media. Fan of most sports and a total nerd when it comes to sports history. Michael spent most of his life in the Bay Area, but lived in Arizona for 2 years and moved to Indiana in April, 2023.

Other loves include good tacos, pizza and obscure Seinfeld quotes.

Feel free to voice your agreements or disagreements. If you do so respectfully, Michael will gladly respond in kind.

Twitter: @mfdixon1985
Email: mdixon@thecomeback.com

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