Ownership responds (kind of) to Tortorella

Lightning owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie took the high road on Friday, a day after former Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella dissed them pretty good in a radio interview in Ottawa.

Torts, if you haven't read Friday's paper, said he had "zero respect" for Koules and Barrie, who fired him after last season's last-place finish. Tortorella also reiterated defenseman Dan Boyle's contention Boyle was lied to before being traded to the Sharks, and said the Lightning's acquisition of defenseman Andrej Meszaros for Filip Kuba, Alex Picard and a first-round draft choice was a winner for the Senators.

Koules declined to comment. Barrie offered this:

"The bottom line is when you're in 30th place, you have to make changes. We'll let our record speak for how we do next year."

Comments

[Herb]

Yeah a last place finish, but to hire Barry freakin' Melrose to take his place? What a STUPID move there.

[Voice of the Turtle]

Being tactless and undiplomatic is no calling card for a mantle of heroism. John Tortorella seems to enjoy the idea that his engagement with political incorrectness takes courage and calls for some special respect from others. He loudly proclaims "his" truth (often a self-serving interpretation) as a defense mechanism to protect his own ego. By so doing, there remains stark evidence of a lack of a meaningful degree of self-awareness on his part.

This does not make him a bad guy: just a bit self-centered, stubborn, and rashly indiscriminate. He's human. He is also placing some weighty obstacles in the path of his career continuance.

The former coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning does not have Oren Koules, Lennie Barrie, Jay Feaster, Tom Wilson, and or all the Bolt goalies of the last 7 years as detractors. His main enemy is John Tortorella, a man with a tragic lack of self-control.

Herb = John T. ???

[geo]

Well one thing for sure i dont think melrose can finish worse then tortorella did last year. Guess it was everyones fault but his.

[Twinebulge]

"Well one thing for sure i dont think melrose can finish worse then tortorella did last year."

As undeniable as this point and the logic behind it are, geo, you won't find full agreement on it here. There are some who actually believe the team is WORSE now than it was last year. I am not making this up.

And we welcome all opinions - God bless America for that

[Patricia]

I just have to say this. Melrose isnt really such a bad choice if you really think about it. He knows hockey. He knows all the players and he knows hockey from all views. I think many of you doubting him will be surprised. As for Tort, he did what he could. He had a winning team for a while, but lost it! His style and attitude just dont fit in the organization anymore. Wish him best of luck, but he needs to stop whining!!

[keith]

Torts is Torts is Torts. Thanks for the Cup coach. The game moves on, show a little class maybe and just handle your leaving with grace and dignity. As for the new crew and coach.....I'm in a wait and see mode, am anxiously optimistic and, for the first time in a few years, a little excited. Lets let Melrose and his new team speak for themselves...on the ice. If this is a great season, none of this will matter.

[bubba]

you lot are gonna have to win alot of 12-11 games with 20 forwards on the team.....

2 clowns driving the bus now,which will soon crash....