Philadelphia Flyers: Cam Atkinson is excited about a Tortorella reunion

Though he spent the 2021-22 NHL season as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, Cam Atkinson still bleeds blue – Columbus Blue Jackets blue, that is.

A sixth-round pick of the team back in 2008 after a successful run at Boston College, Atkinson played his first 627 games of NHL hockey in a blue jacket and had some incredible success with the team – logging 213 goals and 452 points over that tenure.

And who, you may ask, did Atkinson have any of those excellent seasons playing under? Well that would be John Tortorella, who served as the Blue Jackets’ head coach from 2015-21.

Does that name look familiar? Well, that’s probably because Coach Torts was just named the Philadelphia Flyers’ new head coach, having signed a four-year deal that runs through the 2025-26 NHL season. needless to say, Cam Atkinson is very excited about this development indeed, especially after a very successful first season in orange and black.

Cam Atkinson likes his new, old Philadelphia Flyers head coach.

After going all-in on the 2021-22 NHL season with a number of interesting win-now moves, the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves at an impasse. They traded away the face of their franchise and could say goodbye to a few more big-money veterans in the not-too-distant future too, but some of their contracts/players may prove unmoveable, at least without having to pay up for the privilege.

That, understandably, is a problem. Unless the Flyers fully embrace bottoming out like their fellow Wells Fargo Center tennants, they’ll likely meddle in mediocrity for yet another season until the inevitable eventually happens… that is unless John Tortorella can rally the troops and get his guys back on track.

Noted for his conditioning-heavy training camps and for his outspoken desire for greatness, Torts is a polarizing coach near-tailor-made for the City of Brothetly Love; a city noted for having the same uncompromising style. If his players buy in, the addition of Torts could be just what the doctor ordered to get the most out of a roster that has struggled to live up your the sum of their parts.

Fortunately, one player in particular seems very excited about the addition; a veteran performer with an infectious personality that could bring many of his teammates along with him: Cam Atkinson.

After finding incredible success as a speedy winger under Torts in Columbus, including the high watermark season of his NHL career, 2018-19, where he scored 41 goals and 69 points, Atkinson seems genuinely excited to be reunited with his former coach, especially since he has three years left on his contract with the Flyers.

Will John Tortorella fix the Philadelphia Flyers? Will his blazing attitude light a fire under the team and supercharge their pursuit of the Stanley Cup? Only time will tell, but if Cam Atkinson’s reaction is of any indication, that fire might already be back, folks.