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Tortorella hopes Sweden wins gold because Hamhuis, Luongo won’t play

Tom Sestito, John Tortorella

Vancouver Canucks’ head coach John Tortorella, back, looks up at the scoreboard as Tom Sestito, left, sits near during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

Vancouver Canucks coach, and Boston native, John Tortorella could’ve had his loyalties split in Sunday’s gold medal game between Canada and Sweden because of the number of Canucks players on both teams.

Instead, Torts sounded off about not having a full boat of players at Canucks practice and very much prefers one team over the other as Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun shares.

“I hope Sweden wins because I don’t think Hammer [Dan Hamhuis] is going to play judging from what’s happened and I don’t think Louie [Roberto Luongo] is going to play,” said Tortorella. “So I don’t give a [bleep] right now because they’re not playing. I just want them back here. I hope Danny [Sedin] scores two goals and [Alex] Edler gets three assists and Sweden wins so they come back feeling good about themselves because it’s going to help us. That’s all I’m concerned about right now.”

Tell us how you really feel, coach.

Dan Hamhuis has been in Canada’s lineup but not playing many, if any, minutes in games as the seventh defenseman. Roberto Luongo has been backing up Carey Price through most of the Olympic tournament. Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler, meanwhile, have been getting steady play and minutes with Sweden.

Despite the harsh words, the takeaway from this is simple: If guys aren’t going to play, Tortorella would rather have them with him in Vancouver doing workouts and practicing with the team. He just has a very colorful way of saying that is all.

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