John Tortorella on Flyers Schedule: When you have no respect in the league—and we do not—you get what you get

The Flyers have hit the ground flat in 2024, stumbling to a 1-4-1 start. With a league-worst -12 goal differential in the Eastern Conference, this team has been more “ouch” than “wow.”

And if getting shut out in the home opener wasn’t bad enough, they lost again last night in South Philly 4-1 to the Washington Capitals.

Needless to say, the rocky start has highlighted a lot of early issues for John Tortorella and his hockey team.

Still, Tortorella isn’t panicking—at least not yet. It’s not hard to see why. The Flyers are rolling with two teenagers, a backup goalie with basically zero NHL experience, and a missing piece on defense for the first five games. This lineup was practically built to be inconsistent from the jump.

But let’s not forget about that brutal schedule.

The Flyers got zero help from the NHL on this one. Opening the season with a four-game road trip that had them bouncing between time zones was a recipe for disaster.

Start in Vancouver, play the next night in Calgary, then head to Seattle before flying all the way back to Philly for a game against a team that’s been sitting and waiting?

That’s a rough start no matter how you spin it.

Tortorella didn’t hold back, either: “When you have no respect in the league—and we do not—you get the schedule that you get.”

He didn’t use it as an excuse for the home opener flop, but he’s right about the grind. “We’ve had some good minutes, but we’re not playing up to our standard,” he admitted.

And while plenty of teams are still figuring out their identity, Tortorella knows they don’t have much time to get it right.

John Tortorella: Flyers Schedule Stinks Due To No Respect in the NHL

It’s not just the Flyers feeling the scheduling burn—the league’s plan for a “Four Nations Tournament” in February has forced some bizarre adjustments.

But the Flyers have had it worse than most, with another back-to-back looming against Washington. That makes it four back-to-backs in their first seven games. Even Toronto, the only other team in a similar boat, at least got to stay in the same time zone.

There’s a little relief ahead. After this weekend’s back-to-back set, the Flyers won’t have another until Thanksgiving. They also won’t leave the Eastern time zone again until a game in Nashville just before the holiday.

But the schedule chaos isn’t over.

There’s a long road stretch in late December, and March is a circus: seven straight home games followed by a five-game road trip that’s bound to test their endurance.

By the time they get to that stretch, the stakes might already be set. Tortorella’s patience is getting tested, but he’s keeping his cool for now.

The question is—how long can that last? And will the Flyers be able to get back on track before the early hole gets too deep? Only time will tell, but it’s time for them to find their stride.

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