Philly Leader

John Tortorella, the longest-serving active coach in the NHL, is not only focused on developing players but also on mentoring the next generation of coaches. At 66 years old, Tortorella acknowledges his role as a mentor to young coaches. "I was so fortunate with the people and the mentors I have," he said. "If I can offer that ... I don't force myself on anybody, but if people want to ask me questions, I think that's a huge part of my job."

Tortorella is set to become the seventh NHL coach and first American-born to reach 1,600 games when his Philadelphia Flyers face off against the New York Islanders. His coaching career spans 23 seasons with teams like Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and now Philadelphia Flyers.

Sheldon Keefe, now coaching the New Jersey Devils after five seasons with Toronto Maple Leafs, credits Tortorella for laying his coaching foundation during their time together at Tampa Bay Lightning. "Seeing Torts at work really set that up for me," Keefe said.

Mike Sullivan of Pittsburgh Penguins shares similar sentiments about working under Tortorella. "I never felt like an assistant coach; I felt like we co-coached," Sullivan stated.

Brad Shaw has been an assistant under Tortorella with both Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers. He appreciates Tortorella's trust in his assistants' decisions regarding team strategies. "I think he relies on his assistants on the X's and O's side," Shaw commented.

Tortorella’s mentorship extends beyond current team members to other coaches across organizations. Ryan Warsofsky maintained a relationship with him even after not securing a position on his staff.

Jeff Reese reflects positively on his experience with Tortorella during their tenure at Tampa Bay Lightning: "He's always there," Reese said about seeking advice from Tortorella.

The empathy and appreciation for colleagues have been highlighted by Rick Dudley who brought him into professional hockey as an assistant coach decades ago. Dudley remarked on how these qualities have helped make Tortorella more complete as a coach over time.

For Tortorella himself, mentoring is among those responsibilities he cherishes most in coaching: "[Mentoring] is one of the most important... because you're talking with different minds."