Peter Laviolette and the Best in-Game Coaching Tirades in Hockey History

When a coach's intensity is matched on the ice by his players, great things typically occur.

The coach's job goes beyond drawing up a game plan and coordinating lines. He has a set of ideas of how a game should play out. Countless hours of film study and strategies with his assistants will give him a window into his opponents and into his own team as well. Coordinating all of these variables into a productive, successful product on the ice requires an immense amount of fortitude and a touch of wizardry.

While most coaches played hockey at relatively high levels, a successful playing career doesn't often translate into coaching stardom.

Ask Wayne Gretzky how easy it is to get his players to to orchestrate his vision. Gretzky had a pretty solid career—understatement—but could never match that success behind the bench. Perhaps expecting everyone to play at his level was a little bit too much to ask.

Hockey is an inherently frustrating game to play, and probably maddening to coach. No other sport allows you to take off equipment in the middle of the game and punch your opponent repeatedly in the face, then continue playing after a five minute "break." It is ingrained into the game almost as a pressure release for players to control the potential for mayhem.

Coaches, unfortunately, do not have such a release, which is why they so often appear ready to engage in a violent crime spree or may be suffering from horrible constipation. Sometimes the coaches' emotions reach a point where screaming at your team or the referees is just not enough.

It's a rare occasion when the coach will direct his ire in the direction of his opponent during the game, but it does happen. It's amazing to me that it doesn't happen with regularity, but I suppose the infallible "hand of Bettman" probably keeps that in check with some wallet-lightening procedures and suspensions.

The upcoming Penguins/Flyers playoff series promises to be every bit as contentious as their last two meetings in the regular season. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette has already scaled the Flyers bench once to invite the Pens coaching staff to tea. The bad blood goes beyond the ice and behind the bench, which makes an already exciting series even more scintillating.

Including Laviolette's in-game rant, here are the top in-game coaching tirades in hockey history.

AHL Jim Playfair, Abbottsford Heat

Jim Playfair was a bit of a scrapper as a player, so we know he has a bit of a temper. Amassing 51 penalty minutes in 21 NHL games is a pretty impressive ratio, so we shouldn't be surprised to see that emotion translate into some coaching shenanigans.

However, Playfair raises the bar in coaching tantrums with this outburst. He takes off his jacket like Ric Flair, minus the sweat stains, and snaps a couple of sticks on the bench.

Pretty solid implosion by Playfair over a moderately bad call. Stay classy, Jim.

Louisiana Ice Gators vs Pensacola Ice Flyers

What do you think of when you hear Louisiana Ice Gator hockey? If you said fanboats, gumbo and water moccasins, you would be off base completely.

If you said a mid-game hockey equipment yard sale, you were dead on. Ice Gator coach Brent Sapergia loses his mind and his career by tossing everything short of the backup goalie onto the ice in a game against the Pensacola Ice Flyers.

I love that these teams have to incorporate the word "Ice" into their nicknames to remind the common folk that they are in fact an ice hockey team. They would also be well served to not hire anyone whose name rhymes with Brent Sapergia.

Boy, that really seemed to make your team proud, Brent. Nice work!

Peter Laviolette vs Pittsburgh Coaching Staff

As mentioned in the opening, the Flyers and Pens don't like each other very much. I suppose now it's pretty clear that the coaches aren't particularly fond of one another either.

While it strays from the rink into the squared circle of the WWE with the obvious grandstanding between the two benches, the crowd and players absolutely love it.

Laviolette and assistant Granato were each booted out of the game and fined $10,000 and $2,500 respectively.

Lindy Ruff vs Brian Murray

Back to the NHL for this shouting match between Lindy Ruff and Brian Murray. A bench-clearing brawl initiated by a (shocking) Chris Neil hit on Sabres' Chris Drury. The highlight of the game was a fight between goalie Ray Emery and the Sabres Warren Peters.

Perennial whiners Murray and Ruff screamed at each other from a safe distance, knowing that neither would be in any imminent danger. Lots of good action behind the benches, but the on-ice hijinks were pretty fun, too.

Wichita vs Tulsa

Tornado alley has some of the finest hockey you've never heard of. Tulsa, Okla. and Wichita, Kan. typically put on a display that highlights everything beautiful about the game of hockey. Have I built up this clip enough yet?

If I told you that you get to listen to Motley Crue's "Wild Side" while watching this amazing footage, would that increase the awesomeness?

Coaches Bryan Wells from Wichita and his counterpart Rick Seiling from Tulsa take matters into their own hands, as their epic matchup degenerated into an all-out brawl.

This scene answers the age-old question: How do you stop two hockey teams from fighting? Let their coaches duke it out, then have 40 guys try to separate them.

I love that off to the side near center ice, you see two dudes on opposing teams just chatting like they're watching a tennis match. Towards the end of the clip, they kind of grab each other because they realize that others might see them.

John Tortorella vs Caps Fan

What isn't to love about Rangers coach John Tortorella? His battles with the media are legendary, and his press conferences regularly require an NC-17 rating. He has the Rangers at the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this year, while dishing frequently on some of his favorite topics.

Commissioner Bettman is also a fan of Torts, because the coach's mouth typically results in some type of fine or discipline.

Tortorella's in-game tirade of note was against the Washington Capitals in the 2009 playoffs. Torts grabs a stick at one point and looks like he's going to wreck a drunken Caps fan. He was subsequently suspended one game for squirting a fan and then hitting another with a water bottle.

Robbie Ftorek vs Bench

Robbie Ftorek, then-interim coach of the New Jersey Devils, loses his mind a bit on a non-call in a game vs Detroit. His victim: a wooden bench. Don't think for one second that the bench wasn't asking for it.

The wooden bench had been just sitting there indifferently all game and Ftorek had had enough. Tossing that bench to center ice sent a message to benches and all other wooden furniture across the land.

I'm sure only Robbie Ftorek knows what that message is, but I'm sure it's an important one.

Jim Schoenfeld and Bryan Trottier

Think playoff hockey isn't intense? After a Mark Tinordi beatdown on Alex Stojanov, watch as Caps coach Jim Schoenfeld goes at it with Penguins assistant coach Bryan Trottier. The Caps had made a habit out of losing to Pittsburgh in the playoffs, so Schoeny was letting Trotts know that they were probably going to lose in this series, too, but there would be fisticuffs aplenty.

The fun continues in this clip as Schoeny gets tossed and eyeballs the Pens bench on his way off the ice.

Seeing the old ESPN2—or "The Deuce," as it was so artfully called—brings back some great memories of not going to my college classes in the 1990s. Good times.

Marc Crawford vs Scotty Bowman

One of my all-time favorites involves Marc Crawford and Scotty Bowman. The volatile rivalry between Colorado and Detroit was the best in hockey and emotions ran high, especially in the playoffs. The emotional Crawford and the stoic Bowman were a contrast in styles behind the bench and face-to-face, as the video shows.

As Detroit is getting the better of Colorado in the game and the series, Crawford takes exception to Detroit beating the crap out of his team on the ice and the scoreboard.

Fast forward to 6:01 to see the coaches' confrontation and snips from the subsequent press conference. The NHL really needs another rivalry like this. Say what you want about the brawling, but this rivalry was some of the best hockey I've ever seen.

The intensity of hockey can make even the best, most reserved coaches go goofy, magnifying the personalities behind the tie and blazer. As the playoffs begin, the pressure to win will mount and raise the likelihood that 2012 will bring a new entry to the best of the coaching tantrums.

Follow Rob Kirk on Twitter @theRobKirk