Rod Brind'Amour didn't hide his emotions when discussing John Tortorella's departure announcement
Rod Brind'Amour has been one of the most respected coaches in the NHL for years, but this morning he opened up about something surprisingly honest: he once tried to model his coaching style after John Tortorella and it didn't work out the way he planned.
Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reported that Brind'Amour spoke openly about his admiration for Tortorella, saying he wanted to be just as direct and willing to say exactly what was on his mind.
The problem? It got him into trouble fast.
Brind'Amour said he backed off because that bluntness drew the wrong kind of attention at the wrong moments. Tortorella, he made clear, pulls it off in a way most coaches simply can't.
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That's a fascinating admission from a man who's been behind the Carolina bench since 2018 and built a culture quietly, steadily, without much noise.
The Hurricanes are 53-22-7 this season with 113 points, second overall in the league.
Brind'Amour's restraint built a locker room, Tortorella's honesty built a legend
Tortorella spent decades being the most combustible voice in any room he walked into. Coaches learn early that players respect honesty, but the delivery is everything. It's like playing a power play with too much patience: the window closes, and the moment is gone.
Brind'Amour figured that out the hard way.
And yet his appreciation for Tortorella sounds genuine, not performative. He said he believes everyone in the game should carry that kind of honesty with them.
Right now, Brind'Amour's Hurricanes are in the Stanley Cup Final against Vegas, up 3-1 in the series after Tuesday's 5-3 win on the road.
Game 5 is tomorrow night back home in Raleigh.
That's the context surrounding all of this. A coach who quietly built one of the league's tightest programs, admitting he once tried to be the loudest voice in the room and thought better of it.
Whether Brind'Amour's softer touch or Tortorella's fire is the right model probably depends on who's asking. What's not debatable is the record he's put together in Carolina.
What happens if Tortorella himself gets a question about this? That answer would almost certainly be worth air time.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 9, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Nikolaj Ehlers | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Jordan Staal | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Jackson Blake | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| William Karlsson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mark Stone | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Taylor Hall | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mitch Marner | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Colton Sissons | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Shea Theodore | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| Brandon Bussi | - | - | - | |
| William Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Dylan Coghlan | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||