Lots of these players were peaking at different tiMes. But you’re right. Can’t help but wonder what this team would have done under a guy like AV.

They did sweep Tampa so that's gotta count for something.

They swept Tampa and should’ve taken Boston to at least a game seven if it weren’t for a lot of bad calls

My impression of Tocharello (and Babcock) was he didn't care so much if his team won, as long as they towed HIS line and played the way he wanted.

A lot of these guys weren't the players then that they are now. Wennberg was a 4C that was scared to do anything after getting concussed. Jenner was a good player but couldnt finish at all. Duchene and Dzingel were there for 2 months. Tex was young and hadn't had a chance to figure out his game. Really the only argument you can make for a player on that list that Torts held back would be milano.

Also as mentioned, a few bad calls cost us at least a game 7 against boston. and Kucherov's cheap shot on Nutivaara ending his playoffs that season.

Just went back and looked and the average team age now is 27.8. That means it was 24.8 back during the run. Boston had so much more size and experience that it was a tough matchup even in the best case scenario.

How did he hold them back? They swept TBL and were great in second round.

Yeah but the point is how Torts limited his players upsides. Like Panarin is a whole new player now with the Rangers bc they let him be himself don't lock him into a system. Wennberg goes to Florida and becomes an elite middle 6 center instead of a 4c, im just saying its crazy the potential talent they had that Torts didn't get out of them bc he was stuck in his old way.

Look at the players Panarin, Wennber, Milano, Bjorkstrand, PLD, Anderson, Duclair, and others have developed since they've left Torts. The point was just to say the team had alot of talent that torts couldnt get out of them bc he molds players into playing his boring system

-Dubois was 20yo, had a great year and it was only his second season. How much did you want him to be better?
-Tortorella was with CBJ 2015-2021 and Wennberg 2014-2020. Wennberg had his best season under Tortorella and was an effective middle-6 C most of the time. He isn't better in Seattle than he was in CBJ.
-Bjorkstrand was in his second full year; was a great 3rd liner and moved up to the top line with Panarin and Dubois.
-Anderson had the best year of his career in 2018-19 under Tortorella. Downhill ever since.
-Duclair has always been bad defensively which doesn't fit with Tortorella's sysytem and he was really inconsistent in his first 4 seasons (also why he played for 4 different teams).
-Milano, likely but his current season was unexpected.
-As I said with Duclair, Tortorella has a defensive-minded system so it's not surprising some offense is sacrificed (Panarin).

He isn't close to perfect but the "boring" system was effective enough for half a season to eventually knock out a loaded team and have a strong second round battle.

Bjorkstrand needed to get stronger and create his own plays, as he has done that his value has increased significantly.
Anderson was great in columbus. Looking at his numbers, he is the same player in MTL as he was in Columbus. He was probably better off in torts system with his game.
Duclair and Milano don't believe in defense, which is why they werent great fits and have bounced around the league.
Wennberg looked like a #2C that could maybe grow into a #1C. After his concussion, he refused to go to the middle of the ice and he wouldn't shoot the puck. He has been the same player since his one good season (which was under torts)
PLD is a .75ppg player in WPG. Same as columbus.
Panarins numbers are better in new york which was to be expected when the team scores 50 more goals than columbus in a completely diferent system.

I get the narrative is that torts is a bad coach, but it just isn't as true as what people think. Especially when columbus has been one of the youngest teams in the league for like 7 straight season.