Thanks, but no thanks. That was apparently Barry Trotz's response to an offer from the Philadelphia Flyers that would have put him among the highest paid coaches in the league, if not THE highest.
According to a report from Anthony SanFilippo with Crossing Broad, before deciding on John Tortorella, Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher made Trotz a very rich offer.
According to two Flyers sources, Trotz, who started narrowing down his potential landing spots Monday, turned down an offer from the Flyers early on Tuesday, which led to the Flyers pivoting to Tortorella.
Trotz and the Flyers were very engaged, and the sides met multiple times virtually and at least once in person. It appears Trotz was more impressed with the Flyers than many had thought he would be, and using Dave Scott's «blank check» mantra for the whole offseason, the Flyers contract offer would have allegedly made Trotz the highest paid coach in NHL history (I don't have exact figures, but one source indicated that the offer was for more than $7 million each year). -
Anthony SanFilippo, Crossing BroadAccording to SanFilippo, the Flyers wasted no time in contacting Tortella once Trotz said no. Why he turned down the offer isn't exactly clear. There are a few possibilities ranging from a better offer elsewhere, to a very similar offer from a team he simply wants to coach more. Either way, it appears Torts wasn't Philadelphia's first choice. It's likely Trotz has a handful of teams that are making him their top candidate.
