Demers: Torts may be headed for LA

Jacques Demers said when he heard coach Marc Crawford was fired by the Kings, he immediately thought John Tortorella, late of the Lightning, would be a perfect fit.

"I don't know this for a fact, by the way," Demers, the former Lightning coach, said in a phone call. "It's an educated guess because John changes things when he goes to a franchise. When you hire John, you hire a very quality coach, so he could change a franchise around very quickly."

There have been all sorts of talk about where Tortorella would land after last week's firing. The Senators seemed a good choice because it has established stars that seem to need just a kick in the butt to get them over the top, and Tortorella certainly has the foot to do that. There also has been talk about the Sharks, another team with a lot of talent. But Tortorella would be replacing Ron Wilson, who is cut from the same cloth as Torts, so, in that sense, perhaps the Sharks want to go in a different direction.

Then, there is the Rangers, where Tortorella was an assistant. New York's Tom Renney is not thought to be in trouble. But the New York Daily News' John Delapina recently said Tortorella would be an addition to the franchise regardless of the position for which he was hired.

As for the Kings, it would be another chance to build a team. Los Angeles tied the Lightning for fewest points last season (though Tampa Bay was last because of fewer wins), and the team has some good young talent such as Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Jack Johnson. Tortorella also would have time to build the team and not have the added pressure of having to win right away, as he would in Ottawa and San Jose. He also would be left relatively in peace by the SoCal media, which doesn't seem to care much about hockey.

"I just think it's a perfect fit for him," said Demers, a television analyst for Canada's RDS. "John is a great coach. I think that teams just needs a little bit of a change, and sometimes a guy like John Tortorella can come in."

We'll see.

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Comments

[hockey]

If anyone knows anything about John Tortorella.. you would know that he simply treats everyone the same, no special treatment. He is brutally honest and straight to the point. Vinny would not be who he is today if it wasnt for Tortorella's push for maturity and development of character as a player and a person. and if anyone one knew how the players in the locker room viewed vinny.. maybe you would think differently and not just listen to the media. The whole team saw vinny as a talented yet selfish individual, who was not a their leader in the locker room or on the board. They saw a player who had so much potential to be one of the best with no one to guide him. Tortorella came in with a team concept that envolves the whole to team not just one individual. there may have been tension between vinny and the coach but without the guidance and discipline of a coach and effort of a team, there would be no stanely cup in tampa. Maybe we should all look a little deeper into the facts of a case.

[Chris]

The irony of bringing Melrose and sending Torts to LA is too sweet.

[boltcc]

San Jose hired a coach...scratch that one off the list

[...but that's just me.]

I saw Crosby backchecking his pelvis off, esp. in that Final series. Tongue dragging behind him, he got back--and made smart plays.

Did making Lecavalier conceptualize his game as a two-way player hinder his development? Perhaps...in the same way that having every single Mercedes-Benz engine built entirely by hand by an individual craftsman slows the deveopment of that motor...but the finished product, the end result is ultimately superior quality. I'd think anyone would rather have a complete, defensively responsible (when he's not dead from exhaustion, ridden 30 minutes a game and put up wet) Lecavalier who can score 50 than just a pure goal scorer...

[Mike13]

With Torts gone, is it a foregone conclusion that VL4 becomes the Captain of the Lightning? I think probably so.

Torts will make or break players on any team he goes to. And that won't be San Jose. I just read that they hired the former Ast. Coach from the Red Wings, Todd MacLean to fill that post.

[Skinny Dugan]

Mary Melrose needs to land his goofy butt back in L.A. before any notion of coming here.

[matt]

Sorry, meant 100 Pts a season not a game. That would be impressive....

[matt]

Sorry, I guess "horrible" was a harsh way of saying he's way too hard on the young guys. Yes Torts helped Vinny become more of a 2-way player, but doesn't anyone think that hindered his development? I don't see Crosby playing good defense yet he's putting up 100 pts a game. He basically told Vinny it's my way or get the f* out. What was Vinny going to do, fight with the coach so he can be labeled as a player who doesn't get along with coaches that early in his career? Come on... I guess he could have kissed his as*, ala Richards and never been berated to the media, never of had his Captaincy STRIPPED from him, never had the coach change everyone on his line in order to help Richards produce more. Tortorella helped get the Cup(and they "may" never have won it without him) but he gets way too much credit for it.

[Geografer]

Michel - Matt has a valid point. One of the complaints in LA is that Crawford was too hard on the young players (most of the team). To then hire someone that you have one of the top players in the league making the same complaint about would not be the smartest move. Of course this is LA Kings - they haven't exactly made very many smart moves in the past few years so who knows. I think he would be the best fit in San Jose (light a fire under their superstars like he did Vinny - though he would probably ruin Nabakov).

[The Voice of the Turtle]

"Ron Wilson...cut from the same cloth as Torts..." - Damian Cristodero

DC, at least one of the four following items must be true:

1) you must be confusing Ron Wilson with someone else

2) The word "Torts" in your lexicon applies to someone other than John Tortorella

3) Your knowledge of coaching styles needs vast improvement

4) You know absolutely nothing about textiles

Get a grip, son!

Wilson just lectured the Toronto press corps on the need to build a coaching strategy and system around the talent available on the team (See 38 minute interview on TSN). This notion is entirely foreign to the approach taken continuously though his career by John Tortorella (erstwhile coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning).

[boltcc]

I just hope he ends up OUT of our division...! He will do well where ever he ends up

[Michael]

Matt, what a stupid post. No one said he is horrible to them. Vinny just said that he was hard on them. And if you don think it worked out, or if the players dont, then look at not only what he did with the Lightning, but what Vinny became with his help.

[matt]

How would a guy who is horrible to young players be a good fit in LA?