Tortorella: I Loved Coaching Phil Kessel

John Tortorella was on Toronto’s TSN 1050 on Thursday afternoon.

On how he found coaching Phil Kessel on the U.S. Olympic team in 2010, and if he expects Kessel to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs and thus be coached by Mike Babcock:

“I have no idea what’s going to happen with Phil and the Toronto Maple Leafs. I’m not privy to their conversations.

“I loved coaching him. He was terrific for me. He has a different personality and I like that in players. I don’t think all players should be going through the wall for you all the time. I think he has his own thoughts. I think he has a different personality. I think you need those different types of personalities – different ones – on your team to make it the best team you could possibly have.

“So I had no problem with Phil. When I had that team, I heard that he was a real quiet guy and a lot of different things about him. He was terrific. And he’s a hell of a player.”

Source: TSN 1050/ Transcript: Nichols