Former Flyers Coach John Tortorella Could Land With Divisional Rival

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The Toronto Maple Leafs could have the path clear to hire who could have ended up being their preferred coach all along.

The Philadelphia Flyers decided to part ways with head coach John Tortorella near the end of the 2024-25 NHL campaign when it became clear the club would not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Eventually, he would rebound the following season with the Vegas Golden Knights, replacing Bruce Cassidy on their bench and leading them to the Stanley Cup Final, though they would lose in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Golden Knights did not bring Tortorella back, and he remains, in essence, a coaching free agent for the time being. But could he soon join a Flyers divisional rival?

Former Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella Has Been Linked To A Divisional Rival

The Devils have started the season with a subpar 1-2 record after defeating the rival Philadelphia Flyers in overtime in their opening game of the campaign.

Already displaying multiple defensive miscues that have hampered their ability to move forward, the Devils could very well be considering a coaching change, according to one NHL Insider, who has an idea of who could potentially replace Sheldon Keefe if that move were made.

Per NHL Insider Arthur Staple, John Tortorella could be a candidate to replace Keefe.

“I’m curious to see, does it go 10 games, does it go 15 games,” Staple said. “Is there someone out there that they feel like can step right in here? I’m just throwing a name out there ’cause he’s always available. […] Does John Tortorella come in? Jack Hughes’s got a good relationship with him from the Olympics. John Tortorella come in and try to turn this team around. […]”

John Tortorella Was Not Retained By Vegas

The Golden Knights chose not to retain Tortorella after the season, despite him replacing Bruce Cassidy and subsequently leading them to the Stanley Cup Final.

“We thank ‘Torts’ for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March,” McCrimmon said. “When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to the Stanley Cup Final.