Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella has never been a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Wednesday, after the Blue Jackets’ morning skate, the temperamental Torts got real.
“Quite honestly, I don’t like the team,” Tortorella said of the Pens.
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The exchange beings at the 1:07 mark
Tortorella’s response came after he was asked if the Blue Jackets and Penguins have the feel of a big-time rivalry.
“Yeah. I think you have to play more playoff series for that to really go,” Tortorella began. “You can see it developing.
“Quite honestly, I don’t like the team,” Torts said. “And I say that, very…not in a personal way, but it’s a team that we want to beat. I guess maybe I’m defining it’s a little bit of a rivalry. We respect the team. It’s a really good hockey team we’re playing against, but yeah, you gotta have to have a little bit of an edge when you play against them and I think that’s the way we have to play.”
Torts was then asked a follow up. What doesn’t he like about the Penguins?
“A lot of things, but I’m not going to talk about it now,” Tortorella said. “A lot of things.”
This is not the first time Torts has made a verbal swipe at the Pens. Several years ago, Torts revealed he did not like how much the Penguins complain.
Tortorella makes our heart happy. pic.twitter.com/ztArtvLm8m
— The CBJ Artillery (@TheCBJArtillery) December 21, 2017
“We’re not going to whine here,” Tortorella said. “Pittsburgh can whine. Pittsburgh whines enough for the whole league so there’s no room for any other team to whine.”
