Flyers Analyst Posits “Hot Name On Coaching Market” as Tortorella Replacement
After his comments this week that he “wasn’t really interested” in coaching a team going through a painful rebuild, the Philadelphia Flyers have relieved John Tortorella of his duties. With that, the primary names have already begun to surface on who might replace him.
And top of the list, according to Flyers analyst William James of Philly Hockey Now, is the University of Denver's David Carle, author of plenty of recent championships for his teams.
If David Carle is an option, he should be the top target. At just 35 years old, Carle won two NCAA National Championships with Denver (2022, 2024) and back-to-back World Junior Championships (2024, 2025). He is royalty with both organizations.
Obviously, given his success molding young players in those two situations into champions in a short period of time, taking over a young, rebuilding team like the Flyers would seem to be ideal from the Philly perspective.
And there is a familial link that could help the Flyers win Carle over. His older brother Matt was a defenseman for Philadelphia for four years, from 2008 through 2012, and had some excellent seasons there, logging nearly 23 minutes of ice time per night across 308 games with the Flyers.
It certainly appears, despite his great situation in Denver, that Carle has some interest in an NHL job, as he's already recently interviewed for at least two of them, with the New Jersey Devils and the St. Louis Blues.
Carle, as a young coach with a strong developmental approach that easily connects with young players, would obviously be a complete 180 from the Tortorella "old school" approach, says James.
"The Flyers need a coach to help their young talent take the next step in their careers, and Carle is the right coach to do so".
