Flyers Coach John Tortorella Says NHL Has Become A 'Dumb League'

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella has been a one-man quote machine this season. 

From saying he'd "wet his pants" if he heard some of his players were talking hockey on their own time to shutting down a reporter who started a rumor involving ex-Flyer Kevin Hayes.

Now, Torts has turned his quote-making mouth on the entire NHL.

On Thursday after the morning skate ahead of the Flyers' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tortorella was asked about the situation that happened over the weekend between Toronto's Morgan Rielly and Ottawa's Ridly Grieg, which landed Rielly a five-game suspension.

READ: MORGAN RIELLY SUSPENDED 5 GAMES IN HUGE LOSS FOR LEAFS THAT WE ALL SAW COMING

However, instead of focusing on that specific incident, Tortorella talked about how he has seen the league get the Idiocracy treatment over the last few years,

"Oh, my God. It is a different league. I gotta be really careful how I say it," Tortorella said, per Sportsnet. "Well, it's a dumb league. It is. It's changed for coaches, too. And we've had to make adjustments, because there are so many mistakes made."

Tortorella said that younger players don't always want to put in the time or effort to gain respect in the locker room or their playing time.

"I think that's where the athletes have changed. They have entourages around them that I think direct them the wrong way. And the hierarchy of a room, the hierarchy of what it is to be a pro, the process you have to go through as a pro, I think, is lost a little bit with the athlete now. 

"And it's something I miss terribly in being in the league for so long, seeing where it's gone to now.

Tortorella has been in the NHL for the better part of 25 years and in pro hockey even longer than that. So, if anyone was going to pick up on changes like this it'd be him.

While Tortorella noted that the level of speed and talent in the NHL is perhaps better than it has ever been… the same just can't be said about the mental aspect of the game.

"Great athletes. Great skill. Great speed. But the mental and the understanding what it is to be a pro and respecting the National Hockey League, that's where I have some struggles."