"Your tactics are getting old": John Tortorella's ex-Blue Jacket player Brandon Dubinsky calls out Flyers head coach after his Sean Couturier decision

By kuljitparmar13

Modified Mar 21, 2024 04:40 GMT

John Tortorella, current head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, was criticized by a former player Brandon Dubinsky, who had played for Tortorella when they both were part of the Blue-Jackets organization.

Brendon Dubinsky posted on X:

Torts..your tactics are getting old..instead of scratching and embarrassing your capt and one of your best players how about try and tell him I’m giving you 20 mins tmrw night no matter what with PP & PK and go play free have fun and fucking get it done?

The comments come from Tortorella's decision to healthy scratch the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers, Sean Couturier. The move has left many puzzled in the league.

Tortorella has also benched players like forwards Patrik Laine and Pierre-Luc Dubois in a few games during his time in Columbus to send a message to other players on the team. He garnered a reputation with his roster as a tough coach to play for according to many of the team players, where two healthy scratches had asked to be traded by the club.

Tortorella coached for the Blue Jackets club for six years, from 2015 to 2021 and had a 227-166-54 record. He had his 600th victory with the Blue Jackets team in 2019, accomplishing a great feat for coaches.

John Tortorella suspended for 5 games for unprofessional conduct on the bench during a Philadelphia Flyers game

Assistant coach Brad Shaw spoke to USA Today and commented on Head Coach John Tortorella's outburst:

"I think he was just trying to make a point that we felt like we might not have been getting our fair shake," Shaw said. "It's an emotional game at times and we all get elevated blood pressure."

Tortorella was fired up during a game the Flyers were playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning after his team was down 4-0 in the contest. His outburst was a result of a couple of plays that went against the team, resulting in a powerplay goal by the Lightning.

John Tortorella, however, did not leave quietly after the ejection in the game and caused a scene that resulted in a $5000 fine for him. Torts has a history of being a hot head on the bench, calling out referees in games and creating an everlasting scene for the media.

Tortorella has 673 career wins under his belt, including a Stanley Cup Championship Ring with the Tampa Bay Lightning back in 2005. He is ranked 14th among the winningest coaches in the NHL.