Tortorella doesn’t hold back in show of respect for Seeler
Catch Flyers coach John Tortorella in a good mood, as he seemed to be in Monday, and he’ll have no problem heaping praise on one or more of his players.
The guy might have his critics for his more than occasional, if altogether honest use of player critiques, but Tortorella is far from a hockey version of Rick Pitino.
For some supporting evidence, Tortorella was asked Monday about the consistent performance of Nick Seeler, who along with fellow veteran Sean Walker has stuck as the Flyers’ top defensive pair. In his best players-coachspeak, Tortorella said of Seeler, “He’s a nutjob.”
Now that’s a coach who has a guy’s back.
“He’s as intense a player as I’ve seen,” Tortorella said. “I just … I love him. I just have so much respect for how he’s gone about it. He leaves the league and comes back, and that’s will. To come back into the top league and still find your way, that’s a mental toughness and that’s a mental will. That’s what he’s about.”
As Tortorella indicated, Seeler had some tough times a few seasons ago. After earning his way into the NHL and playing 22 games for the Wild in 2018, restricted free agent Seeler signed a three-year contract in July of 2018. He then put in a solid season as a standup and physical young defender, playing 71 games in 2018-19.
But injuries, lackluster play and finally COVID-19 seemed to combine to knock Seeler’s career off track. He would be waived by the Wild in Feb. 2020 after only six games each for them and the AHL Iowa Wild that season. He was picked up by Chicago and played six games with the
Blackhawks until the season was called to a halt due to the pandemic.
Seeler and the Hawks were said to be have reached a mutual agreement to end his deal the following January, and he went home wondering what to do next. The answer would come in May of 2022 in the form of a twoyear deal for just above the minimum with the Flyers as structured then by then-GM Chuck Fletcher, who had originally drafted Seeler (131st overall) in 2011.
The year-plus career break seemed to work, as Seeler has been a steady blue line defender and a bit of a mentor for the Flyers, along with Walker on the top pairing.
Both have thrived in that situation for a team that has played above expectations all season. Then again, it’s a club still in rebuilding mode, as Tortorella and general manager Danny Briere have made crystal clear.
Not surprisingly, then, with their reasonable contracts and some veteran guile, both Seeler and Walker are now part of the daily trade deadline chats among management and mouthy media around the league.
Said Tortorella: “I’ve already talked to the players that could be moved. They know. I asked Danny if I could talk to them. I want to show them as much respect as I can and not have something sprung on them. Myself, Jonesy (team president Keith Jones) and Danny have been very transparent with the group leading up to this deadline, where we stand as far as the organization.
“The whole team knows where we stand and that’s just showing them respect.”
While not as much of a reclamation project as Seeler, Walker, 29, had a few solid seasons with the Los Angeles Kings before joining the Flyers in the offseason.
Through 56 games he’s having one of his best seasons, with five goals and 20 points and a plus-10 rating.
Both players have become important cogs for a Flyers team that can sniff the surprise of a playoff appearance. Both players will also be pending free agents as they hit the season stretch. And Tortorella and his bosses have a plan to stick to, if not first then certainly foremost.
“I’ve seen it happen in other organizations where people are talking about you, but no one’s really talked to you within the organization, then bang, you’re moved,” Tortorella said. “Players know where
they stand, and there’s always an open door if they have other questions about it as (the March 8 deadline) gets nearer and nearer. We’re totally transparent with them.
“The way we explained it to them, is we’re still in the middle of a process. We are. No matter where we sit in the standings now, no matter what people think we are or what we’re going to be, we have a mindset. We have conversations daily about where we are as an organization and we’re not going to leave that. It’s a slippery slope when you start (saying), ‘Ah, let’s leave it this way.’ We can’t; we have to continue to build.”