John Tortorella Defends Sheldon Keefe To Toronto Media
The Maple Leafs pounded the Flyers tonight 5-2 thanks in large part to a hatty from John Tavares. It was a much needed win for a Leafs team that seems to have everyone on the hot seat until they win a first round playoff series. Prior to the game, John Tortorella went to bat for Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe.
If you ask Torts, Keefe is a hell of a hockey coach and he hopes that he proves the haters wrong.
“You guys don’t know anything,” Tortorella said Wednesday, according to the Canadian Press’ Joshua Clipperton. “I coach against Sheldon, and I think coaches know other coaches. You guys don’t know what he does, you don’t know what he’s done for that team. I’ve watched so far, and I have to admit … I coached him.”
“We’ve had conversations (as he’s) a young coach in this league,” Tortorella said. “You guys chuck darts at him because you want some results. It’s always the coach that gets the darts chucked at him. But I know in watching him and coaching against him, I think he’s a terrific coach. And I hope he jams it to you all, quite honestly. Not (Wednesday night). But I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.
“You guys don’t have a clue what he does for that team.”
Torts is in the first year of his tenure as the head coach of the Flyers. Thus far, he has that team playing hard and over their heads. A 5-3-2 start given this Flyers roster is about as good as it’s going to get. Carter Hart has also refound his form so that part helps too.
Keefe, 42, does sport a great regular season record for Toronto. A 116-50-19 clip speaks for itself. After a slow start so far this season, the boobirds are going to come out because the Leafs do what the Leafs do. Disappoint you when it matters most.
Regardless, I’m sure Keefe appreciated what Torts had to say to the media. It’s not often a coach goes out of his way to speak highly about another coach to the media. It’s hard enough dealing with them as it is.
