Why did John Tortorella ban Flyers reporter? Exploring Kevin Hayes-Cutter Gauthier fiasco

The ongoing drama between Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella and reporter Anthony SanFilippo has taken a new turn. Their recent altercation left fans wondering why Tortorella banned the journalist from asking questions during press conferences.

The recent incident occurred when SanFilippo attempted to ask Tortorella a question, prompting the coach to recognize him and inquire about a previous encounter. John Tortorella asked,

"Are you the same guy … did I go at you the last (time)?"

Upon receiving confirmation, Tortorella made it clear that he would not be answering any of SanFilippo's questions.

John Tortorella said,

"I'm not answering any of your questions,"

This latest development is part of an ongoing feud that began earlier this month when the Philadelphia Flyers traded top prospect Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks. The trade, involving Jamie Drysdale and a future second-round pick, raised eyebrows, and reporter Anthony SanFilippo suggested that Gauthier's discontent with the team was influenced by NHL veteran and former Flyer Kevin Hayes.

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John Tortorella's previous response to Kevin Hayes-Cutter Gauthier rumors

Anthony SanFilippo reported that Hayes had his "fingerprints all over" the NHL trade, a claim vehemently denied by both Hayes and Gauthier. The situation escalated when Tortorella confronted SanFilippo during a press conference, accusing the reporter of causing problems between him and Hayes.

John Tortorella expressed frustration with the media's tendency to spread unfounded rumors, stating,

“Are you kidding me? You think Kevin Hayes is going to do something like that? It’s bulls–t. It pisses me off that you guys throw that s–t around and it affects someone’s life. Kevin and I had a problem, we couldn’t come to an agreement on how to play. That’s a good man. That’s a good man and what you said is going to stay with him."

John Tortorella added,

“That’s what you guys don’t understand and you’re going to sit there and say you have the right sources. I call bulls–t.”

Them SanFilippo, in an interview with Daily Faceoff, responded,

"I really wasn't expecting, I don't think anybody was expecting it. ... When he went off, I was like, okay. I had a sense that he wanted me to kind of get into a little bit of a sparring match with him on it. ... I was just going to stand there and let him say what he had to say."

Gauthier, caught in the crossfire, refuted the report, asserting that Kevin Hayes had no involvement in his decision to request a trade. On Ducks' podcast, Ducks Stream, Gauthier said,

"Kevin Hayes had nothing to do with the situation at hand."