Nothing is shifting John Tortorella’s focus on his team as he embarks on the final step to secure his second career Stanley Cup.
Not even, it seems, to answer a few questions about himself.
On Monday’s Stanley Cup Final media day, the Vegas Golden Knights bench boss declined to answer any question about himself, his staff or his past experiences, instead redirecting the conversation back to his team and the round ahead.
“I just don’t want to go into me. I’d just rather talk about the team,” Tortorella responded when asked what his accomplishments this year have meant to him thus far. “I’ve been very fortunate to have the opportunities I have had. We’re getting ready for the Finals. That’s where I’d like to go, as far as answering questions.”
He gave a similar answer when asked about assistant coach Dominique Ducharme.
“Again, I’d like to talk about the team,” Tortorella said, before giving credit to his assistant, “but I will talk about Dom and the staff… I am very fortunate to have that staff. I don’t think they want me to get involved in talking too much about them because they’re focused on the team. You have no chance as a coach coming in if you don’t have a staff like I have.”
And again, when asked about Martin St. Louis, his former player and now head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.
“We’re getting ready for the Finals here. The nostalgia, all that stuff, I’m not going there,” he said. “Marty’s a hell of a coach. Hell of a person. Very good friend of mine. I’d just rather talk about the game itself coming up here.”
Even general manager Kelly McCrimmon caught onto Tortorella’s steadfastness when he was asked a question, interrupting the reporter to joke, “Afraid to ask John?”
Tortorella is known for his fiery and often contentious relationship with the media, recently costing his team a hefty fine and a second-round draft pick for skipping a post-game availability altogether following a second-round win.
Game 1 goes Tuesday, June 2, at 8 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
And nobody can accuse Tortorella of being unfocused.