What Tortorella Said on Saturday Night to be Fined 50,000$ has Officially Been Revealed

A Dramatic Saturday Night: Flyers vs. Lightning

The clash on the ice last Saturday evening between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Tampa Bay Lightning was anything but ordinary. During the action, the Lightning were leading with a 4-0 score when the Flyers faced a penalty. This event led to Philadelphia's coach, John Tortorella, unleashing a tantrum against the game officials.


Known as 'Torts' for short, his outburst was so intense that he was officially removed from the game. Despite this, he remained at the bench, engaging in a prolonged argument with the referees. An expert in lip-reading has since deciphered the heated argument, revealing the explicit language used.

Consequences and Comparisons

Following his outburst, directed mostly at referee Wes McCauley, Tortorella faced a suspension for two games and a fine of $50,000. This move by the NHL and Gary Bettman suggests a firm stance against Tortorella's refusal to exit the bench and his issues regarding the penalty. This incident is part of a bigger effort by the NHL to address how coaches interact with officials.

Recent events have seen other head coaches penalized, albeit with much smaller fines of $5,000, for their criticisms of game officials. It appears the league is moving forward with its efforts to maintain respect towards referees, using Tortorella's case as an warning.

Potential Consequences for the Future

The consequences of this event may set a precedent for how coaches address and challenge refs in the NHL. There's a growing sentiment among coaches to voice their concerns over shoddy refereeing.

As the season continues towards the playoffs, the intensity of the games is expected to increase, potentially leading to even more outbursts from coaches. How the NHL responds to this remains to be seen.

As Read on OilersDaily - Expert lip reader breaks down exactly what Tortorella said to get fined $50K