Florida Panthers
Maurice Knows What Tortorella ‘Was Feeling’ Before Firing
FORT LAUDERDALE — The Philadelphia Flyers fired coach John Tortorella on Thursday, just two days after he said he was “not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season’’ following yet another loss.
Tortorella, who was in the third of a four-year deal with the Flyers, has always been brutally honest.
Some took his postgame quote following a 7-2 loss in Toronto as him saying he did not want to coach a losing team.
Others contend Tortorella was just venting, basically saying he did not want to get used to coaching a team with no chance at making the playoffs.
The Flyers, who were sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline last year despite being right in the playoff race, have gone 1-8-1 in their past 10 games and come into Thursday a point ahead of Buffalo for last place in the Eastern Conference.
“When you’re in this type of situation, you’re losing all of the time, and there is nothing at the end of the tunnel for you,’’ Tortorella said Tuesday.
“There’s certainly going to be some frustration. This falls on me. I’m not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season where we’re at right now. I have to do a better job. This falls on me; getting the team prepared to play the proper way until we get to the end.”
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Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Thursday that while he does not know what ultimately went into the Flyers’ decision in moving on, he certainly understands the frustration Tortorella relayed Tuesday in Toronto.
Maurice has not worn those shoes lately, but has certainly has before starting first with the Harford/Carolina franchise, and then with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Hurricanes (again), and, at times in Winnipeg.
“John’s great strength and, maybe at times his challenge, is how absolutely honest he is,” Maurice said. “When I read his comments, I know that feeling. It is such a competitive job, you’re driving every day. I feel uncomfortable talking about it because I do not know the situation at all, and there’s a whole lot more we don’t know.
“But you drive every day, and I’ve had those; you’ve got a lot of games left on the clock and there’s no chance we’re making the playoffs. … I understand the emotions behind it. … It’s very hard to drive men when you know there’s not going to be a payoff for it.’’
Philadelphia replaced Tortorella with assistant coach Brad Shaw, who worked with Tortorella in both Columbus and with the Flyers.
ON DECK: GAME No. 72
UTAH HOCKEY CLUB at FLORIDA PANTHERS
- When: Friday, 7 p.m.
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
- Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
- National TV: NHL Network
- Local Streaming Only: Panthers+
- Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
- Season Series (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Utah: Panthers 4, Utahs 1 (Jan. 8). At Florida: Friday.
- Last Season vs. Arizona Coyotes: Florida Won 2-0
- All-time Regular Season Series vs. Coyotes/Utahs: Florida leads 22-20-0, 3 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday vs. Montreal Canadiens, 1 p.m.
