John Tortorella reacts to rumour of him taking over Quenneville’s job in Florida

On Thursday, head coach Joel Quenneville resigned from the Florida Panthers, in the fallout from the Chicago Blackhawks’ sex abuse scandal involving former player Kyle Beach.

When the report came up that night that Quenneville was out, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes claimed that John Tortorella is a leading candidate to succeed Quenneville – while former Av Andrew Brunette serves as interim coach.

On Friday night, as the Panthers faced the Detroit Red Wings, the ESPN’s The Point hosts wasted no time to ask tough questions to panellist Torts, asking him more than once he had heard from the Panthers’ management to take over Quenneville’s spot.

Torts repeated the same answer three times, no he hasn’t spoken to general manager Bill Zito about the opening.

The hosts did save Zito some time with the rest of their questions, wondering what Tortorella thought of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, whom he coached back in Columbus in years prior.

“It’s just been a bit of a struggle to stay consistent at playoff time. … I know he hates me saying that, but it is what it is.”

It is what it is.

Still it might not stop the Panthers from giving Torts a call, he who admitted he would love to coach again in the NHL.