Tortorella will make his debut Thursday when Columbus visits Minnesota.
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Nothing official from the team, but it’s being reported all over the Web that the Blue Jackets have sacked Todd Richards and replaced him with John Tortorella.
“None of us saw our season unfolding the way it has and every one of us from management to coaches to players bears responsibility”, said GM Jarmo Kekalainen in a statement announcing the change. He is set to coach Team United States of America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney has started the past two games in place of slumping Sergei Bobrovsky, who has a goals-against average of 5.07 and save percentage of.835, and the Blue Jackets have given up a league-high 34 goals in seven games. He’s working his (butt) off. He’s trying to change things, make us a better team.
The acerbic coach grew more arrogant and less effective (perhaps related) than when he led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup.
For his part, Tortorella said Dubinsky was the first player he talked to when he arrived at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday.
Tortorella has been known for preaching a defensive-minded, shot-blocking style that wears on players, but he’s not naïve to the fact that the game has changed drastically. That’s not the type of start that was expected from a team that restocked its roster this summer after closing last season on a 16-2-1 run.
He’s one of the most experienced head coaches available right now and he does have that Stanley Cup as proof he might know what he’s doing. During his years with Columbus, Richards compiled a 127-112-21 record. “We just want to try to get back to who we are”, John Tortorella sad.
All the complaints we have about Richards existed before the season started, so my main criticism here is why wasn’t this done at a more appropriate time? “Peter Laviolette’s a good coach, clearly a good coach”.
This story has been corrected that Blue Jackets have made playoffs twice.
“I think you mature along the way”, said the 56-year-old man who tried to fight an entire hockey team as a 55-year-old man. Right.
Most of the other potential candidates – such as Randy Carlyle or those working as assistants elsewhere – would also have required a second-round pick to hire. On one hand it’s great the team was able to get six opportunities but it’s wasted if you can’t capitalize on it. “I have great respect for Todd as a coach and a person and wish nothing but the best for him, his wife, Maryann, and their wonderful family”. Anaheim (unfortunately) played well to start the season, they just weren’t getting the puck luck they needed to win games.
“It’s hard to reach in your pocket and say, ‘Here’s a few confidence.’ It has to come through a few good things happening”.
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Why this is a good fit for this team: The Blue Jackets have ability, but they haven’t yet figured out how to translate talent into wins.
