Danny Briere returned to his end-of-season press conference and re-outlined the qualifications needed for the Flyers' next head coach, emphasizing the importance of being a teacher and a communicator.
“The other thing that I mentioned was we needed a communicator. That is one thing Rick Tocchet does, and that is that he builds relationships. He is good at it," Briere said as part of his opening. "I talked to a lot of players around the league. Players that are still playing and players that are now in management positions, scouting positions, or coaching position. The one thing that keeps coming up is how good of a communicator he is with his players, especially how he builds relationships. Which is part of the reason why I am so excited to have him as our next head coach.”
John Tortorella hasn't always been known for his effective communication. Players have made it clear on multiple occasions that there were issues with the lack of information about mistakes and areas for improvement. Some players felt completely in the dark, unsure of how to address the problems they faced.
As time passed, it became apparent that issues were arising behind the scenes. Cam York's reported incident with Tortorella is just one example.
During the press conference, Briere and Rick Tocchet emphasized the importance of the relationship between the Flyers' new head coach and his players. The ability to connect with them on a personal level and demonstrate that he is truly listening can have a significant impact. When players know that their head coach understands them and is open to feedback, it can bring a sense of unity within the team.
“The one thing that kept coming up was the relationships that he was able to create. A lot of the players would say, you feel like you have a voice, you feel like you're listened to, and that you're part of the team. That’s kind of the gist of most of the discussions that kept coming back.” Briere said about the feedback he got from talking to some of Tocchet's former players.
Rick Tocchet played during a different era of the NHL, one where coaches had a tougher demeanor and players were expected to follow instructions without asking questions. However, Tocchet recognizes that today’s players are different. This new generation is more willing to ask questions to understand the decisions behind what is being asked of them.
As a coach, it's crucial to be receptive to your players' input. If they feel like they don't have a voice, they are less likely to listen. While players won't be making all the decisions, collaborating with them is important for building team chemistry. If the players can trust that the coach has their best interests in mind, the coach is more likely to get more out of his team.
“I think when a player walks in that door of this facility, they want trust, right? And they want accountability, obviously, and they want to feel safe, right?" Tocchet said. "This world we live in now, there is a lot of outside noise, and it can affect players. So, my job is to create a safe environment for those guys, where they can feel that as soon as they hit those doors, they are taken care of. We're going to help them as much as possible and partner up with them."
The time will come for Tocchet to prove that he can walk the walk. But right now, he is saying all of the right things. Coming from one of the toughest coaches in the league, having a new coach who didn't follow the same playbook needed to be a focal point. The Flyers couldn't go backwards or put themselves into the same situation as before.
There was, and still is, some fear that things won't change. At a crucial part in their rebuild, going forward is the only way. One of the biggest things both Briere and Keith Jones stressed when they arrived was making Philadelphia a destination that players wanted to come to again. They believe that Tocchet is the answer to that.
“There’s no doubt that Rick is going to make us more enticing for players to come here.
There's no doubt about that. There's already agents calling and letting us know that. And that's kudos to him for the relationship that he's built and the reputation that he's built over the years. It's so positive in that regard that there's no doubt in my mind that, yes, it's going to make us more of an attractive team to join.”
That's important for a team that believes they are nearly ready to start adding players to the equation. The path and plan are still the same, but there might be a light at the end of the tunnel soon. Especially with Tocchet in charge.
It's only words, but those words are a healthy change of pace from what the Flyers moved on from in Tortorella.