John Tortorella releases personal letter to Flyers' season ticket holders

No matter how you spin it, this season has been an absolute disaster for the Philadelphia Flyers.

The team is about to mis the playoffs for the third consecutive season and, despite some good stretches under new head coach John Tortorella, they haven't really ever shown an ability to compete with the NHL's best teams. In short, the Flyers just aren't that good. They have the potential to be better next season and in the future, but as things stand right now the team just isn't built to win. And that's essentially what Tortorella communicated earlier today in a message delivered to Flyers' season ticket holders.

Check out this personal letter that Torts himself penned on behalf of his team:

To our valued Inside Edge Members...

At the beginning of the season, we set out to build a foundation for the future and a standard for hwo we're going to play, night in and night out.

Now that we're halfway through the season, I want to share with you what I've seen from our guys. I have been very pleased with our team's effort, drive, and hunger to compete.

Perhaps more importantly, and I hope you've noticed this too, I love the way this team has consistently responded to the challenges we've faced, both as individuals and as a group. Throughout the locker room, our players are showing a full commitment to getting it riight.

We also have some kids here who have impressed me. Some of them have taken on heavy minutes and big responsibilities, and they're growing into the impact players that we need them to be. This development of our young players is absolutely crucial for our future.

This season I've challenged the veterans on the team, and I've been very happy with their response. Beyond the stats, they've shown a willingness to adapt, compete, and lead our group both on and off the ice.

Now, I'm not going to lie to you - and I want to be clear about this - we're not there yet. This year was the first step in building the future of the Flyers and restoring our reputation as one of the most respected teams in hockey.

We're in the thick of the season right now, and we're going to see how our group responds to the challenges that lay ahead with a grueling schedule. It's a grind, but all of that is extremely important to see what we have and what we need to move forward.

That excites me because I can promise you this - the answers to those questions will come. You and I will find out together, and we'll be an even tougher team for having gone through it. That's because we're in the midst of establishing an identity. Not just any identity - but an identity that reflects the city of Philadelphia and the proud history of the Flyers organization. 

We need you with us. We're going to get this right, we're going to make you proud, and together, we're going to remind everyone what this team is all about.

- John Tortorella

Personally, I feel like this doesn't really say much that we don't already know. We already know that the Flyers are lousy. We don't need to be told that. I will say though that Tortorella offers up no excuses and does a good job of laying the groundwork for future success. If I'm a Flyers fan though, I'd much rather hear about HOW Torts and the Flyers are going to turn things around. Give me some specifics! Don't just preach patience for the fanbase without some sort of explanation on how things will turn around...