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Philadelphia Flyers hire John Tortorella on 4-year deal

Aug 11, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CAN;  Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella gestures as he speaks to his players in game one of the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs against Tampa Bay LIghtning at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia and John Tortorella have agreed on a four-year deal to make him the next head coach of the Flyers, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

An official announcement is expected Friday.

The post would be Tortorella’s fifth as a head coach in the NHL.

Tortorella last coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, agreeing to part ways after the 2020-21 season. He has since been an analyst with ESPN.

Tortorella, who turns 64 this month, ranks 14th in NHL history with 673 victories across 20 seasons. He went 227-166-54 in six seasons with the Blue Jackets and is the franchise’s all-time winningest coach.

He has a .548 winning percentage in 20 years of coaching.

Tortorella won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003-04, coaching six-plus seasons there. He’s also served as the bench boss of the New York Rangers (2008-13), Vancouver Canucks (2013-14) and Blue Jackets (2015-21).

Tortorella would replace interim coach Mike Yeo, who took over in early December when the Flyers fired Alain Vigneault. Philadelphia posted a 17-36-7 record on Yeo’s watch.

Tortorella is a two-time Jack Adams Award winner (2004, 2017) as the NHL’s coach of the year.

–Field Level Media

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