John Tortorella has shut down the topic of captaincy every single time it’s been brought up since he arrived in Philly, with his answers getting saltier every time somebody works up the courage to ask him at a press conference. Despite his indifference to handing out a “C”, his culture-based rebuild is being constructed almost exclusively with leadership in mind.
Scott Laughton was the only player given an “A” during Tortorella’s first season in Philly, a role the 29-year-old forward retained exclusivity to during the 2023-24 season as well.
It’s unlikely a full-fledged captain is named anytime soon. First and foremost, It’s not the best look to give it to anybody on the current roster after two years of refusing to acknowledge any of their attributes with an “A.” It’s probably just safe to assume that there isn’t a captain named as long as Tortorella is behind the bench. He’s the star of his own show and he’s not ready to share the spotlight.
But if the roster does not undergo the amount of overhaul it was originally expected to during a summer supposedly dedicated to a rebuild, then it’s time for Tortorella to hand out a few more alternate captain designations, the next logical progression during the cultural shift.
Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Sean Couturier would be the obvious three choices to receive letters on their jerseys. In a typical rebuild, all three should be on the trade block and moved for assets, but this is far from a typical rebuild. Konecny and Sanheim are having career years and Couturier is more than holding his own after returning from a two year absence. They’ve all gone from questionable futures to key pillars, and at 27, 28 and 31 years old respectively, they’re stepping into the veteran leadership roles at this point in their careers.
Ultimately, who’s wearing a letter on their jersey should mean very little. But it’s also a situation that, when given an ounce of thought, doesn’t make any sense. Torts won’t hand out a “C” but he’ll give Laughton the only “A” for multiple years, essentially making him the captain without the official title. He’ll talk about the improved culture in the room but refuse to reward anybody else with a letter, which -sticking to the idea of the letters carrying meaning- more or less denounces their leadership abilities, directly contradicting his own story.
With the sheer amount of talk surrounding the Flyers and their new culture, it’s time for Torts to reciprocate and hand out more “A”s if the title of captain is under lock and key. If this team gets run back with the majority of players returning for the 2024-25 season, there’s really no reason Laughton should be the only one rocking an “A” or for that reason, no reason he’s not the captain flanked by newly named alternates.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: Getty Images
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