When John Tortorella was hired to replace Bruce Cassidy on the Vegas Golden Knights, the outcry was widespread. Sure, some people think that he's an anti-media curmudgeon who wants to beat up media members. But some players have a different take on the Golden Knights' head coach.
One of those players happens to be Keegan Kolesar. The lower-line winger finds him to be quite the humorous fellow, cracking up every time he's around his own head coach.
"I think he's hilarious. I laugh my a$$ off every day being around him."Keegan Kolesar to SinBin.vegas
It should come to nobody's surprise that the Golden Knights have responded well to Tortorella. They've gone 15-4-1 since he arrived on the scene, winning the Pacific Division and making the Western Conference Final along the way.
Fans might look at this as a light-hearted quip about a crazy head coach and his linguistic style. However, there's more to the story than just being unintentionally funny. It also shows the locker room environment that the two-time Jack Adams winner has fostered.
Why Keegan Kolesar's words about John Tortorella matter
Rumors have circulated around Bruce Cassidy and how he created a toxic environment within the Vegas Golden Knights' organization. Speculation loomed around players simply tuning him out and ignoring his orders like an over-leveled Pokémon. You can probably guess that the locker room vibes weren't too immaculate.
Well, some people speculated that this would happen with John Tortorella when he arrived on the scene. They thought that he'd drop some F-Bombs and hit Mark Stone's back with a hockey stick. However, those things haven't happened (at least, not yet).
The Golden Knights have responded welll to their new head coach, elevating their game to new heights. They've beaten teams such as the Edmonton Oilers and their Western Conference Final opponent, the Colorado Avalanche, during the regular season. As mentioned, they've also won the Pacific Division title.
You've also seen players like Pavel Dorofeyev and Mitch Marner reach new levels during the playoffs. Nobody would've expected Marner to lead the NHL in postseason points (18 entering Wednesday), yet here we are. That's the Tortorella effect happening in front of the eyes of every Las Vegas citizen.
The Golden Knights are banking on their new head coach to provide much-needed stability within the organization. Not that they needed it or anything. But the players are reacting well to their new head coach, playing to their true potential. Who knows? That could lead to a longer tenure and the "interim" tag being removed.
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