Tortorella has some choice words for some key Blue Jackets players

It's not exactly a secret that John Tortorella is a coach who does not mince his words and on Thursday evening, he certainly did not have any qualms with calling out some of his key players as the Jackets grind their way through camp with their sights set on the high-flying Maple Leafs.

"My concern is some of the people that we are going to need to make a difference for us to win a series, I don't think they're ready right now," Tortorella said following practice.

"I don't think they're doing the things they need to do right now to get ready for that series. Not a bunch. A few. A couple."

The Jack Adams Trophy finalist did not elaborate on exactly who these players are, and was keen enough to tell the media that he is encouraged by what he has seen from the bulk of the group, but the fact remains that in the playoffs, your key guys need to be your best guys.

"For the most part, I've liked what I've seen here," Tortorella said. "It's just the two or three guys that are pretty important people. It's a concern of mine. ... I'm not so sure we get total concentration out of some key people. That's what we're working to try to get."

With the series against the Leafs set to begin on August 2nd, now is not the time for his key guys to coast, and that is a message that Torts has no problem sending.

"This isn't getting ready for the regular season and then trying to find your game in 15 games during the regular season. This is a sprint. And I think some guys have been dead-on right from the start. Other guys, not so much. I think we're in single digits right now as far as getting ready to play. I don't want us to fall into this trap of wading in. We need to be ready to go."

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