John Tortorella is one of the most tenured and vocal coaches in the league. He has had no shortage of controversies over the years, yet he still found himself at the helm of an NHL team for this season.
As head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, he has taken a team destined for a lottery pick to a team currently holding a playoff spot.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's Sheldon Keefe. Keefe hasn't been an NHL head coach for decades as Tortorella has, and he took the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were destined for greatness into a 4-4-2 start that puts the team out of a playoff spot.
Keefe's performance this year has sparked fans to call for his firing, and his replacement with a more experienced coach, like Barry Trotz.
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Despite all of this, however, John Tortorella made his thoughts on the situation very clear.
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You guys don't know what he's done for that team... You guys chuck darts at him because you want some results... He's a terrific coach. I hope he jams it to you all, quite honestly. Not tonight.
Despite the fact that the Flyers are playing the Leafs tonight, Tortorella still offered his praise — with a little asterix for Keefe not to perform as well against them! Keefe equally played under Tortorella in Tampa Bay.
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Tortorella may not be the nicest guy in the world, but when it comes to the respect of his fellow head coaches, he's a class-act.
Should Sheldon Keefe be fired?
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