‘It’s a dumb league’: Flyers’ John Tortorella shares thoughts on young NHLers

TORONTO — John Tortorella has opinions.

Surprise.

Framed around Saturday’s Ridly Greig empty-net slap shot and Morgan Rielly’s violent response to such disrespect, the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers was asked Thursday morning for his take on hockey’s cultural shift when it comes to the influx of brash new youth.

“Oh, my God. It is a different league. I gotta be really careful how I say it,” Tortorella began, taking a moment before delivering a calm, thoughtful response. “Well, it’s a dumb league. It is. It’s changed for coaches, too. And we’ve had to make adjustments, because there are so many mistakes made.

“I guess the thing with the young athletes is sometimes you have to wait your turn, right, as far as gaining respect and not wanting everything right now and not expecting everything right now — as far as ice time, as far as your contract, whatever it may be. Sometimes it’s good just to wait your turn and earn it.

“I think that’s where the athletes have changed. They have entourages around them that I think direct them the wrong way. And the hierarchy of a room, the hierarchy of what it is to be a pro, the process you have to go through as a pro, I think, is lost a little bit with the athlete now. And it’s something I miss terribly in being in the league for so long, seeing where it’s gone to now.

“Great athletes. Great skill. Great speed. But the mental and the understanding what it is to be a pro and respecting the National Hockey League, that’s where I have some struggles.”

Tortorella has witnessed the code morph and attitudes change over the course of his 21 seasons and five franchises. The 65-year-old has won a Stanley Cup and ranks third among active bench bosses in games coached.

He has done a splendid job driving his Flyers — one of the younger rosters in the league — into playoff contention this season. And he has done so by holding onto his old-school ethics of hard work and respect.

Tortorella — who helped name Sean Couturier, 31, captain of the Flyers Wednesday — is a firm believer in establishing a dressing-room hierarchy, of rookies taking notes from veterans.

“Respect how you handle yourself in the room. Respect how you act on the ice. You may say it’s old school. I just don’t think we can lose what it is to be the proper pro in the National Hockey League,” Tortorella continued.

“I know the game has changed a lot. But you can’t lose the foundation of what the National Hockey League is about. And that’s what worries me a little about the young athlete right now.”

One-Timers: John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander should all be good to go after dealing with illness earlier this week…. With the healthy boost, Ryan Reaves and Alex Steeves step out of the lineup… Tortorella’s Flyers roll into town with a tale of two special teams. They are operating with the league’s second-worst power-play (12.6 per cent) and second-best penalty kill (86.3 per cent) — a fine example of a will-over-skill roster.

Maple Leafs projected lines Thursday vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Knies – Matthews – Marner

Bertuzzi – Tavares – Nylander

Gregor – Domi – Robertson

Hölmberg – Kämpf – McMann

Brodie – Liljegren

Benoit – McCabe

Giordano – Lagesson

Samsonov starts

Hildeby

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