During a game against the Calgary Flames, Tortorella seemingly lost control, attempting to confront Flames head coach Bob Hartley in the locker room. The incident became widely discussed and led to a 15-day suspension for Tortorella.
Former NHL executive Brian Burke, who was with the Calgary Flames at the time, recently shared insights into the real reason behind Tortorella's outburst during an interview on the 32 Thoughts Podcast.
Burke revealed that there had been a longstanding animosity between Tortorella and Hartley, but the key trigger for Tortorella's emotional reaction was a deeply personal matter. According to Burke, Tortorella's son, serving as an Army Ranger equivalent to a Navy Seal, had been deployed to the "Sandbox" (Afghanistan or Iraq) that day. Tortorella was anxiously awaiting a call about his son's deployment, adding immense stress to an already tense situation.
Burke emphasized that Tortorella's emotional state was influenced by this personal turmoil rather than just the on-ice events. Despite their professional rivalry, Burke expressed empathy for Tortorella's difficult circumstances and expressed relief that the suspension wasn't more severe.
