John Tortorella was asked about removing iPads from the Flyers bench:

More words of wisdom from Torts, that snippet in response to being perceived an old-school type of guy for limiting tech on the bench.

The full answer was actually very good, so I’ll transcribe it for you:

“It’s a fine line. We’re not going to have (pads). We have a TV we can’t take out because it’s built right into the rink by my feet on each bench. So if we or someone really needs something, we’ll have an ability to do that. That’s gonna be a tough sell. (The assistant coaches) use it sometimes, but I think if we want to keep on growing here, we need to get (players in the mindset of) ‘just get ready for your next shift.’ We’re gonna point it out. Sometimes we don’t have to see it (right away), and I think it helps us because if you have the iPad, you’re pointing out everything during the game. It’s almost like you think you have to, because you just saw it. We over-coach. We get in the way sometimes and we’re clouding their head, and (we focus) on what just happened instead of trying to take care of business on the next shift. Technology, everybody thinks it’s great and sometimes it is. There’s some important stuff to it. But sometimes it isn’t and I think this is a time that it isn’t.”

“I don’t give a flying shit how I’m perceived. I really don’t. Because it’s my job to coach the team. And if I’m in the business of trying to make everyone happy and being perceived as – that’s a tough way to live. I really don’t pay too much attention to it and I’m saying that respectfully. You have a right to make a judgment. Everybody does. But how much I pay attention is very little, because I’m kind of locked in to what I think is best for the team and I have to make those calls.”

Well said. I spot no lies there.

That’s it for now, have a great weekend.