The Flyers' playoff hopes are struggling, so coach John Tortorella made a deal with the players to keep them fresh for the next few weeks.
The players agreed to make some small changes to practices and time off the ice as they aim to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
Tortorella likes the pressure of leading the Flyers, who are tied with the Capitals for the third playoff spot in their division and facing competition from several other teams.
Tortorella believes the players understand the situation and don't need him to hold their hands, as they are fully aware of the battle ahead.
Tortorella and his staff are worried about the heavy workload on goalie Sam Ersson after losing starter Carter Hart to a leave of absence due to legal issues.
Ersson has been playing a lot more than expected, and Tortorella is also concerned about the strain on his defensemen.
Defenseman Jamie Drysdale returned from injury on Monday, which allowed Cam York to reduce his playing time and focus on the power play.
Drysdale expressed relief at being back after missing five weeks due to injury and feeling good about returning to action.
Tortorella kept the details of the morning meeting private but mentioned that he sought input from players and considered it a collaboration. He emphasized the need for the players to tough it out in the remaining games.
Tortorella emphasized the importance of seeing how the players handle tough situations and expressed curiosity about their ability to overcome challenges.
Cam York, 23, is part of the emerging young core of the Flyers, which includes other promising players like Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee.
Tippett believes that being close in age helps the team bond because they can relate to each other and have a lot in common. However, regardless of age, the team has strong chemistry and enjoys spending time together, which is important on the ice.
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The defensive pairs included York with Sanheim, Drysdale with shot blocker Seeler, and Zamula with Johnson. Ersson was in goal against Varlamov. Tortorella mentioned that it's not useful to have exit meetings right after the season ends because emotions are high, and he prefers to have them later in the summer to get the right information.
