In this editon of NHL Quick Hits, I’ll look at the three coaches who are front and center in contesting the job as the Philadelphia Flyers’ head coach. Second, sticking with the Flyers, I share the news that general manager Chuck Fletcher is excited about the play of young defenseman Cam York, even though York has played less than half a season with the team.
Finally, I’ll look at veteran winger Rylan Reeves and comment on his future with the New York Rangers. Reeves has been a solid, if not an overly offensive winger, throughout his career. However, he was recently a healthy scratch in the last two postseason games the Rangers played. The Rangers lost in the Eastern Conference Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Quick Hit One: Who Will Is Ahead in the “Race” to Be the Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach?
Funny thing about NHL coaches with experience. They keep popping up again and again, moving like pilgrims from job to job around the NHL. That’s obviously true about three experienced coaches who are currently out of work. It looks as if one of the trio of Peter DeBoer, Barry Trotz, or John Tortorella is not going to be out of a job for long.
As was tweeted below, there are three finalists for the Flyers’ job. It looks like one of these three experienced coaches will likely get it.
Both Trotz and Tortorella are rumored to be ahead of DeBoer as the desirable choice. However, DeBoer (who has coached both the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks) still has a chance to become the coach of the Flyers. We will see what happens soon.
Quick Hit Two: Philadelphia Flyers Loved Defenseman Cam York
Sometimes it doesn’t take long for a team to get a feeling for new players. Yesterday, Flyers’ general manager Chuck Fletcher let it be known that he’s “thrilled” about the future of the team’s 21-year-old defenseman Cam York. York ended the season with 10 points, 33 shots, 40 blocks, and 20 hits in only 30 NHL games.
Perhaps, however, that’s wishful thinking given that York was the first player Fletcher drafted after he became the general manager of the Flyers. The 2019 NHL Entry Draft was his first draft, and York was his first pick. York went in round one (14th overall).
Fletcher admitted that “Cam York, to me, is a young man that’s going to have a very bright future in this league, precisely because the attributes he brings are exactly what we need.”
Fletcher added that “In terms of the ability to go back, get the puck, skate it if it needs to be skated, make the quick first pass. If that’s not there, find the second option. He has all those abilities and not every defenseman does. We do have some candidates on defense that can make our defense a lot better.”
Quick Hit Three: What’s Ryan Reaves Future with the New York Rangers?
Ryan Reaves didn’t play in Game 5 and was also a healthy scratch for Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He wasn’t a factor at all in the Eastern Conference Final and he didn’t pick up a single point in the postseason.
Rangers’ fans have to wonder whether Reaves has a role next season with the team. He’s still under contract for next season, but it seems that he spent more time in street clothes than he did in uniform.
There are no rumors about his departure, but his role seems to have diminished. We’ll see what happens with him next season. Could he be on the move? And, if so, where?
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