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John Tortorella Justifies His Decision To Scratch A Young Star With Family In Attendance
The Philadelphia Flyers head out to Minnesota tonight to play the Wild. For one Flyers player, it was supposed to be a homecoming with several family members in attendance. Unfortunately for this player, he has been scratched by John Tortorella.
Tortorella Scratches Young Star In His Homecoming Game
The Philadelphia Flyers will have young star forward Bobby Brink watching tonight's game from the press box. Reports indicated earlier today that Brink would be a scratch despite having over 30 family members planning to attend the game.
With everyone in the media knowing that Brink was supposed to play in front of family and friends the decision was puzzling, to say the least. This led media members to ask Tortorella what went into the decision to scratch Brink tonight.
Tortorella Justifies Scratching Young Star With Family In Attendace
During his press conference this morning Tortorella was asked about scratching Brink. He began by saying he believes Brink will be a really good player in the league someday but has struggled with inconsistency lately.
Other players are playing better. This is all part of the process for Bobby. He's going to be a really good player, but there are a lot of things he needs to work on, and I think he's been a little inconsistent. Bobby Brink doesn't have a cemented spot in the National Hockey League. He has a ways to go as far as to find that. But that's to be expected. I think he's going to be a really good player for us.
He then continues and talks about the decision to scratch Brink tonight specifically in his hometown.
"Absolutely not, and don't start with all the hugging, and that stuff, because I heard it last year. It's the National Hockey League. I can't get itineraries from players when their parents are coming in to decide what a lineup is. I can't. I knew that would come up. You're in the wrong game. If we're going to play inter-mural and all that stuff, whatever you want to call the fun stuff, this is the National Hockey League. These are part of the things that kids have to go
through."
"Having said that, yeah, I'd love for his parents to see him play. It just didn't work out that way."
through."
"Having said that, yeah, I'd love for his parents to see him play. It just didn't work out that way."
It sounds as though Tortorella's sole focus is winning hockey games which if you are a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers is a good thing to hear. When it comes to his relationship with the players in his locker room this decision might not be looked back on so kindly.
As Tortorella said Brink is still a young player with a lot of potential. He will still have plenty of opportunities to play in front of family going forward as he gets his career jump-started.
As Read On - Blade Of Steel - John Tortorella Scratches Rookie in Front of his Parents, Explains that he Doesn't Care and Why
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January 12 | 356 answers John Tortorella Justifies His Decision To Scratch A Young Star With Family In Attendance Do you agree with John Tortorella's decision to scratch Bobby Brink? | ||
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