No fireworks from Tortorella to start off new year against the Oilers

Article content When it comes to dealing with media, it’s feast or famine for John Tortorella. One of the biggest characters in the NHL’s coaching circles over the past three decades, the Philadelphia Flyers bench boss can be a ticking time bomb in front of a microphone, with either nothing to say or with a soundbite that will seemingly stop time until the next news cycle.

Tuesday, as his team arrived at Rogers Place ahead of their first game of the new year against the Edmonton Oilers, he was none of the former and all of the latter. But it was still entertaining. Coming off a 4 3 loss to the Calgary Flames on New Year’s Eve, there may not have been any fireworks, but you could tell Torts was still smouldering under the surface.

But that didn’t stop the throng of media gathered in the hockey fishbowl that is Edmonton from running a gamut of questions — both routine and some more imaginative — past him. Lineup changes? “Not sure.” His team’s recent play? “Just gotta keep on playing.” Coaching his 1,500th game last week.

“Oh, don’t go there. I’m not going to answer any more questions on 1,500. No, thank you.” On losing four of their past five. “We’re just gonna play our next game. And try to be the best we can be.” Anything needing to change from the last loss? “Nope. Nope.” What do you like most about coaching? “Not this,” Tortorella said, indicating the media scrum.

“The part of coaching is teaching. Teaching when it’s going well, teaching when it’s going bad. Figuring things out. “As I told our guys the other day, I love being in the locker room. I can’t stand this, especially when something’s in my face like that (microphone).

Everything about this, I know I have to do. But just being in the locker room, that’s the most important part for me.” If you weren’t this teacher? “Oh, I don’t know what the hell I’d be if I wasn’t coaching.” The dam finally broke under a little further prodding by Postmedia’s Jim Matheson to try and get some sort of usable response.

“You’re asking some off the wall questions, Matt,” Tortorella said. “Next.” E mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge.