Just a day after John Tortorella was let go as the Philadelphia Flyers head coach, details are emerging about the reasons behind his dismissal.
According to a report by Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, a disagreement between Tortorella and Flyers defenseman Cam York was a contributing factor in the coach`s firing.
York was benched by Tortorella for the majority of Tuesday`s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kurz reports that a verbal altercation, not physical, occurred between York and Tortorella after the game, with sources suggesting `both may have gone too far`.
Tortorella was officially fired on Thursday. York was listed as a `scratch` for Thursday`s game against the Montreal Canadiens but was on the bench for the entire game due to the team lacking available players.
When questioned on Friday about his Thursday benching, York declined to comment on specifics.
“I’m not going to get into the details of it,” York stated. “I will say that I take full responsibility for my actions. It’s been handled within the team. It’s something I’m moving past. We have eight games remaining, and that’s my focus now. I’ll leave it there.”
Regarding his relationship with his former coach, York spoke positively about Tortorella.
`I have nothing negative to say,` York told reporters. `He taught me many valuable lessons and was a very good coach for me. I will apply much of what he taught me throughout my career. He’s a very good coach, and I wish him all the best in the future.”
Kurz indicates that this incident, along with Tortorella`s post-game remarks following Tuesday`s 7-2 defeat to the Maple Leafs, influenced the Flyers` decision to part ways with the experienced coach.
