The Flyers aren't quite ready to end this rebuilding phase. They understand that change won't happen overnight. Making the playoffs, while nice, isn't expected. But as the season approaches, there's a different feeling in the air.
There are new faces on the ice, but the roster remains largely the same. It's the coaching staff that features the biggest changes. It's Rick Tocchet's team now, and that means things will be run much differently.
"Day one, we're actually getting into some systems and playing hockey. So it's different than using a rope and skating laps." Sean Couturier said after the first practice.
Players weren't skating laps up and down the ice. There was no yellow rope outstretched from one end to another, making sure no one crossed over into the middle. No one is gasping for air by the end of practice. While it was down with a purpose, there is no doubt that players are happy to see it go.
"A lot less Nascar laps, that's for sure," Cam York joked about the difference in this year's training camp.
York didn't say much else alluding to his former head coach. But with the way things went for him and John Tortorella toward the end of the season, there is no doubt he is ready for a fresh start with a new staff.
"From the past, it's a little bit different. Every coach coaches in a different way, I think. So far, it seems like it's going to be a great match for our group."
Back on the ice, players were running drills and getting a chance to form some early chemistry with linemates. Working on holding onto pucks and keeping possession was a key point of emphasis. Learning the plays and more in-depth things will take some time, but building the foundation right away is important.
There isn't a ton to draw from in the first days of camp, but being able to touch the puck right away and work on new systems is helpful with a new staff.
"It was good. I thought pace was high; guys competing. It was a good first day, I thought. Kind of getting some systems down, too. It's always nice to do that on the first couple of days to get the summer hockey out of the way," York said.
It's a breath of fresh air from previous years. And Tocchet has already made it a point of emphasis to create relationships with his players off the ice as well. It's something that Tocchet has been known for in the past, and something Flyers GM Danny Briere emphasized upon his hiring.
It's already been a positive for Couturier. His relationship with John Tortorella became strained by the end of the former coach's tenure. Couturier pointed it out on multiple occasions, especially when he was scratched shortly after being named captain in 2024.
The veteran forward often felt he was being pushed aside, demoted to fourth-line minutes at times. The fluctuation in minutes didn't go unnoticed, and rather than help find ways to put his captain in situations he was best suited for, Tortorella seemingly looked to eliminate him.
It's no surprise the team seemed to play more free once Tortorella was let go. It could've been a coincidence, but Couturier had three points and the Flyers scored six goals in the first game after.
The feeling with Tocchet is different, and it's clear that Couturier is looking forward to working with his new head coach.
"Already had some really good conversations with him. Probably more over the last three months than I had in two years with Torts," Couturier said. "It's fun to go back and forth and get to know each other, listen to each other's thoughts on the game."
Tocchet has a similar feeling in working with Couturier. Seeing the head coach and captain form a strong relationship early on can only mean good things for the Flyers.
"There's been a couple of times he's come up to me asking me about, 'Hey, can we do this? Can we do that?' And that's the relationship I want to have," Tocchet said. "But I want him to worry about his game. Sometimes you put so much pressure on the captain that he's going to worry about everything. Next thing you know, his game suffers from it."
It's only the beginning, but all signs point to a group that is ready to take the next step with a new staff at the helm. Tocchet is running the show now, and it's fair to say there is excitement for what's to come.