John Tortorella is one of the most controversial coaches in the NHL. He has been in the league for quite some time, earning a reputation as one of the toughest, most passionate, hard nosed coaches in the league. For some players, that coaching style works wonders, as can be seen by the development of Rasmus Ristolainen.
In a recent interview, the Flyers defenseman credited Tortorella for helping improve his game. Ristolainen has never been particularly effective on defense but now Torts has gotten him to improve on that side of the puck substantially. The 29-year-old had high praise for his new coach.
There is no denying that the Flyers have exceeded expectations this year. In fact, the team may be the most significant over-performer in the league. While many expected them to be among the worst teams in the league, they have been able to maintain their 2nd place spot in the metro division through 30 games. Even if they team falls out of the playoff race, it has certainly been an admirable run for the team.
