"Sell the team", "Blackhawks really ruined him": Flyers fans react as John Tortorella gets replaced by Brad Shaw as interim HC

Hockey fans weighed in on the Philadelphia Flyers firing coach John Tortorella. The Flyers posted a statement on their X (formerly Twitter) account, which said that Tortorella’s associate Brad Shaw would take over as interim HC.

“OFFICIAL: The Flyers have relieved John Tortorella of his duties as head coach," the post read. "Philadelphia Flyers Associate Coach, Brad Shaw, has been named interim head coach and will assume duties immediately.”

Many users on X reacted by lashing out at the franchise and management.

"The Blackhawks really ruined him," an X user said.

"What? So you all used John as a Pawn!" a fan wrote. "He coached minor leaguers! Comcast is going to ruin another decade of the Flyers!! Sell the team!!"

Some fans stated that they believed the decision was a mistake. Flyers fans also expressed frustration with the lengthy and seemingly endless rebuild as well.

"How many more years for this so-called rebuild?" One user commented.

"Makes no sense to do it now. Why not just finish the tank? This could've been handled in the offseason," another fan said.

"Torts said he didn't want to coach this type of season, Briere obliged🤷‍♂️," one X user wrote.

"I hate to break the news to you, but this should’ve happened in April of last year," a fan said. "We were all taken for a ride this season and fans deserve a refund for this intentional sabotage (of) two consecutive seasons."

"He was the only thing good about this team," one hockey fan said.

John Tortorella had taken responsibility for the Flyers' poor season

This was John Tortorella's third season with the Flyers. The team has lost its last six games and conceded seven goals in their last two games - a 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday and a 7-4 defeat against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Tortorella took responsibility for the team's poor performances:

"This falls on me. I'm not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season, where we're at right now. But I have to do a better job, so this falls on me, getting the team prepared to play the proper way until we get to the end."

On Thursday, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere announced that John Tortorella had been relieved of his duties.