Yeo replaced Alain Vigneault as coach Dec. 6. The Flyers are 5-11-4 since then, including 12 straight losses (0-9-3) entering their game at the New York Islanders on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; MSG+, NBCSP, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The Flyers have eight lineup regulars out with injuries: forwards Sean Couturier (upper body), Kevin Hayes (hip), Derick Brassard (hip), Patrick Brown (knee), Nate Thompson (shoulder), Joel Farabee (upper body) and Wade Allison (knee), and defenseman Ryan Ellis (lower body). Their expected top four centers, Couturier, Hayes, Brassard and Thompson, have played two games together all season, on Nov. 13 and Nov. 16.
"I'm still very grateful and very excited to have the opportunity to be here and to work with these guys," Yeo said Friday. "I know that these guys are listening. I'm still excited about trying to find solutions and trying to find a way obviously to get us in the win column here. ... I know that we're obviously dealing with a ton of adversity, whether it's the injuries, whether it's the losses. But I think as a coach you have to embrace that.
"We all love to win, that's why you do it. But it's times like these where the players need you the most as a coach, so I'm excited about that."
Before becoming Flyers coach, Yeo was 246-181-55 in the regular-season and 17-22 the postseason as coach of the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues (2011-18).
The Flyers named John Torchetti an assistant, joining Darryl Williams and Nick Schultz. Torchetti last coached with Moncton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2019-20. He previously worked with Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher as coach of the Wild, replacing Yeo, in 2015-16.
Torchetti also coached the Los Angeles Kings and Florida Panthers, and been an assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Panthers, Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers and Detroit Red Wings.
"He's a great man, a great hockey person, somebody that I have familiarity working with him in the past," Yeo said. "He checks a lot of boxes for me personally. It's nice to have someone with head coaching experience on the bench. It's also nice to have someone with winning experience. He's another guy that's won a Stanley Cup, as an assistant coach with Chicago. That experience can be huge for us."
