Philadelphia Flyers coach John Tortorella is known for his unorthodox coaching methods, and his latest move is no exception. In an effort to get his team to focus on the present, Tortorella has banned the use of iPads on the Flyers bench during games.
The decision was made after Tortorella noticed that players were spending too much time looking at the devices during games, rather than focusing on just playing. He likely believes that the iPads were becoming a distraction and making players overthink, and that by eliminating them, the players will be able to focus on their next shift instead of looking back at the old one.
This is not the first time that Tortorella has made a bold move. Early in the season, he made the controversial decision to healthy scratch the Flyers top scorer Hayes. While the move was met with some criticism, Tortorella believed that it was necessary to send a message to the team and to hold players accountable for their performance.
Tortorella is known for his “old” coaching methods, but he won’t change his ways based on media criticism and does what he believes is best for the success of the franchise.
Despite these efforts, the Flyers are currently sitting second from the bottom in the Metropolitan Division with only 17 wins in 42 games and a negative 17 goal difference. While some may question Tortorella’s methods, it is clear that he is willing to do whatever it takes to turn the team around.
It remains to be seen whether or not Tortorella’s decision to ban iPads on the Flyers bench will pay off, but it is clear that he is not afraid to take bold and unconventional steps to try to get his team back on track.
