SAN JOSE, Calif. — Twenty days after Scott Laughton departed the Philadelphia Flyers' organization for a new opportunity with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he did not expect John Tortorella to follow him out the door so quickly.
"I think it was a shock honestly," Laughton said as his Maple Leafs get set to visit the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. "Who knows what would have happened in the summer and everything like that. But yeah, it was a shock to me. I haven't talked to anyone back in Philly yet. So I guess we'll see what's going on there."
The Flyers relieved Tortorella of his duties as head coach on Thursday morning. The move came just two days after the Leafs defeated the Flyers 7-2. Tortorella didn't hold back in his criticism of the team.
BREAKING: John Tortorella Relieved Of Head Coach DutiesPhiladelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella has officially been relieved of his duties.
"This falls on me," Tortorella said of the game. "I'm not really interested in learning how to coach this type of team, in this type of season where we're at right now. But I have to do a better job and this falls on me.
John Tortorella: "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...but I have to do a better job."#Flyerspic.twitter.com/M3LJbWdadB
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) March 26, 2025
Tortorella was in the third year of a four-year deal as coach of the Flyers. The current management there — led by team president Keith Jones and general manager Danny Briere — arrived after Tortorella's hiring.
Although Tortorella's comments were damning, Laughton felt it was more out of frustration for how his team performed in the game. The Leafs forward never got the sense that his former head coach was getting frustrated in Philadelphia.
"I saw his comments after the game, I think they kind of got misconstrued maybe, but he did say it," Laughton acknowledged But I think he kind of backed it up with what he said after. But yeah, I don't think he really meant that he was kind of getting fed up with it. I think he was just sick of losing on this road trip they were on. But yeah, I guess something had happened."
‘He’s Overthinking Things Instead Of Just Playing’: Scott Laughton Remains Pointless With Maple Leafs, Craig Berube Urges Forward To ‘Loosen Up’The Toronto Maple Leafs have begun to find their stride, securing back-to-back victories over the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche. However, one player in particular remains stuck in a slump – newly acquired Scott Laughton, who has yet to register a point in six games with the Leafs and continues to struggle to find his place in his hometown.
Laughton added that the Flyers are in good hands with interim head coach Brad Shaw, personally crediting the coach with helping the defensive side of the game playing on the penalty kill, a role the Leafs are looking to expand on.
Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev spent one season playing in the NHL under Tortorella back in 2013-14 during the coach's lone season with the Vancouver Canucks.
"I love Torts. He made me a better player," Tanev said. "He pushed my game to be better. He's a really good person to me. Definitely can't thank him enough. I enjoyed my time with him,"
Tanev shared an anecdote about how Tortorella would push him to jump into the game offensively if there were opportunities there, even though as a defenseman, his primary objective was to hang back and not get caught.
"If I didn't jump in on the rush, I'd definitely hear about it from him back on the bench. He made me better."
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