Is John Tortorella getting the cold shoulder?

Could former Lightning coach John Tortorella be following in Ted Nolan's footsteps? No, I don't mean as the next coach of the Islanders (although, if I were the Islanders, that would be a great idea). I mean as a good coach who might be getting a cold shoulder from NHL teams.

Nolan was coach of the year with Buffalo in 1996-97, but his contract was not renewed. He did receive an offer from Phil Esposito to coach the Lightning when Terry Crisp was fired in 1997 but turned it down. Other than that, he did not receive another NHL head coaching offer from the time Buffalo let him go for nearly 10 years. Some thought it was because he had the reputation of being a "GM killer,'' while others wondered if it was racism because Nolan is a member Ojibwa Indian tribe. Finally, the Islanders hired him in 2006, but even though he went 74-68-21 over two seasons, he was fired Monday, and now we'll see how long it will take him to get another job, if ever.

So now about Tortorella. Despite a great run with the Lightning that included four playoff appearances, a Stanley Cup and a coach of the year award in six full seasons, Tortorella, as far as I can tell, didn't even come close to landing one of the six jobs (not counting the Islanders) that were open this summer.
Atlanta, Florida and San Jose hired coaches with no NHL head coaching experience. Ottawa dug up Craig Hartsburg, who has never won a playoff series as a head coach. Colorado went with Tony Granato, a guy the Avs once fired as head coach. Toronto brought in retread Ron Wilson, who has coached 14 NHL seasons with three teams and either missed the playoffs or failed to get past the second round in 12 of those seasons.

The last straw is Los Angeles. The Kings hired Terry Murray on Thursday. Terry Murray!? Nice guy, but this will be Murray's fourth NHL job, and his biggest claim to fame was taking a Flyers team to the finals, getting swept and then getting fired immediately.

You're telling me that Tortorella isn't better than any of those guys? That he wasn't even seriously considered? It just sounds fishy. Tortorella is known for his brusque personality, but his reputation might be worse than reality. Most of his players like playing for him, and he never had any public -- or as far as we know, private -- problems with GM Jay Feaster. So what gives?

Comments

[Mike M]

Torts is a whiner and has a penchant for blaming his inadequacies on his players. Actually I am glad he is gone and not surprised that no one has hired him....

[G]

Certainly not Mike M. He turned a joke of a team into champions.
He held players accountable. He never tiptoed around the problems.
I hope he can find a good gig somewhere. Not all the fans forget '04.
Thank you Torts!

[G]

Certainly not Mike M. He turned a joke of a team into champions. He held players accountable. He never tiptoed around the problems. I hope he can find a good gig somewhere. Not all the fans forget '04. Thank you Torts!

[Not the Marlboro Man]

Maybe Torts can get Melrose's old job at ESPN. It would make for good conversation in the papers and would raise some eyebrows at ESPN. He looks like the Fonz and sound fine when he speaks, so he could work out for them. It may be along time before he lands another job as head coach because he has a reputation as a goalie killer. Whether those accusations are all that true would have to be confirmed by John Graham, Marc Denis, Nicolai Khabibulin and Johan Holmqvist and any other that worked under John. I for one blame his defensive schemes as not adapting to the new rules after the new CBA. Jay Feaster and the old ownership didn't help matters much either. Tortorella can coach, his ring shows that he can elevate a team to play and in a game seven of the Stanley Cup Final, thats no small accomplishment. Torts deserves a break and should be able to eventially land another coaching job. He's a quality NHL coach its just that sometimes things go sour in one place and then you have to move on and prove yourself all over again...alot of good coaches have done this but some are known as one time wonders. Good luck to Torts, I hope he gets to coach again soon.

[Voice of the Turtle]

Those who remain puzzled by John's lack of offers through all those many NHL headcoach openings might well think about the fact that the league is filled with owners and GMs who want to win. These are hockey people from 29 other teams who have remarkable vantage points with regard to information and the fruits of good judgment. They are privvy to information that is largely withheld from reporters and the general public. The decisions that they make are sometimes wrong, but must be better than people like us who post messages on websites.

Consider that and the fact that Tortorella is not in demand, then draw your own conclusions.

[Brian]

Torts is an emotional coach. So what. The team says they responded to him either way. What both Feaster and Torts did for us has to be taken into account.Alot of this didn't happen until after the strike and he still managed to get The Lightning to the playoffs. All I know is that he had the team ready to play. Up until last year, did the concept of diminishing returns take affect? Did the players really not try as hard to play for him ? It doesn't matter now. Torts would fit in a team that needs to rebuild from the ground up as he did with the Lightning.With some adjustments to the defense in adjusting to the new game. I'm sure he will take that wherever he goes. In my opinion he is priceless what he did for us and I wish him luck where ever he goes. Thank you Torts for the wonderful memories...2004 Stanley cup, that is priceless....

[Boyd]

If I was an NHL owner I wouldn't want his player condescending style either. You're supposed to bring the locker room together, not make them fear you.

[Matt Cole]

It's a lie to say most of his players liked playing for him; they hated him. That is why he is gone. Well over half if not more of the players loathed Tortorella and celebrated his departure!! Get your facts straight!!!

[Patrick]

Turtle,

Damian's article mentions Ted Nolan who got a anothing NHL coaching job 9 years after being fired, Craig Hartsburg who got another coaching job 7 years after being fired, and Terry Murray who went about 8 years between his last head coaching job. And of course we now have Melrose after a 13 year break as our head coach.

Attempting to draw any conclusions about whether or not Torts will get another job after only one offseason would be premature, like most of the reactions on this blog.

[Voice of the Turtle]

Patrick.

Your point is plausibly well-taken as Torts may well re-evaluate his tenure in Tampa, modify his ways, and re-emerge as a viable headcoach alternative for some team at some time in the future, but my post reflects the apparent postures of the GMs and team owners at this present time. If you re-read my comment, you'll note that I said nothing about his "future" prospects. The fact is, quite simply, John has been overlooked as one to fill these CURRENT openings. For this, there must be some reason.

Yet, who knows, perhaps, he will be tapped for the Islander job (the only headcoaching position open at this time). If so, you can, from sanctimonious high ground, proudly chastise those of us who have suggested that his value is in question at this time.

[kk]

There is no helping the Florida Panthers if they didn't hire Tortorella.

[chris]

Hope Torts finds something, if that's what he wants. Has to be draining to deal with the expectations of all of us + players + owners, recharge time would definitely be needed
Hey Matt, guess you were hiding under the bench in the locker room to have the insider info you have, but at least your fact is straight

[JS]

There are plenty of good coaches who don't have jobs right now...Quenneville, Burns, and Hartley are all unemployed. Are we supposed to just conclude that there is some fault with these coaches that all of the GMs are privy to...which is certainly the implication people seem to want to make about Torts. Frankly, I would call that a fallacy. I seem to recall the blogs here full of desire for at least 2 of those to come here, even before they realized that we were getting Melrose and would have settled for anyone else.

It seems a more impartial conclusion is that teams just want to go in fresh directions with young coaches or assistants. Anderson in ATL, DeBoer in Florida, McLellan in SJ, and its not like Tony Granato has tons on NHL head coaching experience. Everyone that got canned isn't going to find a home with all of that new blood coming in.

Torts will find a job eventually, but his is definitely a special situation. He needs the kind of commitment from his GM that he got from Feaster. That obviously isn't the case on Long Island so I would reject that as the only way to prove that GMs see Torts as damaged goods.

[Rudy]

“others wondered if it was racism because Nolan is a member Ojibwa Indian tribe”

Please!!! How stupid you can be to even mention something like that. Get real, man!
Torts is Italien……. He has great credentials from last year.. no reason he can’t get a job like a waiter.

[JB]

Since the major NHL rule changes Tortorella has stubbornly clinged to an outdated system that has not won a single playoff series. If that was more the fault of the Lightning players, then let's take a look at the recent World Championships where he coached an amazingly talented Team USA. The Americans lost to every top team it faced. Against an inferrior Finnish roster, they fell victim to a superior system that picked the pocket of Tortorella's system. He has failed to adapt to the changing climate of the NHL, and GM's recognize that.

[Coach Bill]

rudy- Are you putting down Italians??? I'm Italian as are my mom And Dad. Didn't really understand your point.
Torts was very negtive in the press ( of all places) and dissed his players often). I think if he had handled Denis or Graham more "sesitively" they might have achieved their potential. He drove out players like Prospal with his public criticism. His defensive scheme (retreat and cover) was a disaster.
I know these players are pros and are supposed to be able to handle the heat,but they are young kids and don't need to get insulted in the press by their coach. 'totally understand why he's unemployed!

[db]

"Coach Bill" has it right. However, I wish Torts well. He is a good coach, just needs to adjust. Remember, he is getting paid nicely to sit back, evaluate himself, and take his time waiting for the right situation for him. He most likely has decided to keep a low profile for that reason. nothing more, nothing less.

[Dan]

Maybe Torts wants to take a paid year off, relax and enjoy being a full-time husband and father. Maybe all the hypotheticals constitute wasted energy.

[Patrick]

As for his system being outdated, I think that's up for dicussion. One thing I think is more obvious is the level of players we've had since the Stanley Cup year. Players from that the top lines of that team like Stillman and Modin had at least some success on other teams and other systems. Players from our second line of the last couple of years that have left - afansenkov, fedotenko, perrin, hlavac, have had little or no success. Same with the goaltenders... grahame, denis, holmqvist - they can start tearing it up at any time now they have escaped the oppression of Torts.

What have the new owners done since they came in? Built a whole new team, mostly targetting the forwards. You wouldn't tear apart a team that had a chance of competing.

Turtle,

I followed your suggestion that I reread your post and I noticed you specifically mentioned 29 other teams. There have only been like 6-7 openings that he has been passed up for, and as we know, anyone who has been a coach in the last decade is apparently in the pool with him. We don't even know if Torts would take a job now if he was offered one. The only conclusion I draw is that you are just being less blatant with your contempt for him than in the past.

[Voice of the Turtle]

A useful definition of "bias" involves the act of retaining a belief in spite of available evidence of the contrary. John Tortorella has very openly stated that he wants to get back to work as a head coach (Patrick, please check this for accuracy from the files of the St. Petersburg Times and/or the Tampa Tribune).

In no way do I wish to dispel the obviously strong attraction that this man holds for you. Please place a halo over his head and sing praises to him daily if you wish. If you choose, go quarrel with anyone who tries to make a point about his present lack of credentials or his apparently dim prospects. But, for goodness sake, Patrick, get a grip on reality and don't fabricate fallacious reasoning for his behavior or motivations where jobs are concerned.

[Rudy]

Coach Bill:
It’s just suggestion that idiots can play a race card on anybody and anything.
Italians’ are my favorite people. Not just because of cooking. That was country accepted me when I left communist Czechoslovakia. I spend there almost one year and met my wife there.

[Rudy]

Tortorella was in right time in right place. He has no experience in head coach position, I personally noticed him like assistant coach in Rangers, and after they fired head coach, don’t remember who was that, he took over in last probably 4 games. Id liked him very much, his approach to players, he was very friendly and players felt like he is one of them, and that lead to motivations. I was sorry they – Rangers did not kept him. But I was happy for Lightening, Especially when I moved to Florida.
But he change drastically, he change his approach to players, he got attitude ….. First thing he doas: Tortorella stripped Lecavalier of the captaincy ……
Now I believe that he was just in right place in right time coaching a team set together by trades by Phil Esposito and leaded by great Captain Dave Andreychuck. Team of young talented players hungry for wining. Situation everybody – any coach – can only wish for. They will get Stanley Cup that year no matter who was a coach.
But Tortorella and GM dismantle a great team, by personal, not business decisions. He started to be more and more arrogant.
How he ended was easy predictable. No one can be interested in person like that.

Matt Cole,

I was in that locker room. You are wrong.

No , Matt is 100% right

Sorry.

I was there too.

[LightningTod]

Hey folks, let's take some of the personal edge out of this. This is a sports page blog, not the civil war. We all have points of view; and I would like to read blogs about hockey and the Lightning without escalation to the personal stuff.

We have a re-built team, a new coach, new owners; and a lot to look forward to. My suggestion is to put the past were it belongs, in the past. Let's have some fun, let's talk hockey and the new Lightning. After all, isn't that what sports is all about, having some fun and supporting your team.

[karma]

Hey T Jones,
When you've walked a mile in Torts shoes, and when you done half what he's done for children in our community, then you'll have earned the right to publish a bs column like this one. You're a newspaper hack...

Karma:

First of all, he can publish whatever he wants, it’s free speech

You don’t have to agree with that.

An second, his job was a COACH , not community donations guy.
That way we have to judge him , that is only way. How he does his job. And that was poorly.

[Voice of the Turtle]

Latest reports indicate that the Islanders have asked for permission to talk to bith Torts and Sully. John is still (officially) under contract to the Lightning.

In spite of my disapproval of the way he handled the Bolts' campaigns and the way he dealt with his players, I recognize that in his private life, he is a very decent man with good character. Also, there is no question but that his hockey knowledge is formidable.

Should he get the nod to move to New York, I shall personally be delighted for him and his family.

I personally think, he has to take break. More then one year. Put his act together, look back what he does, and watch hockey.

[Rudy]

That was Rudy

[Patrick]

Turtle,

Don’t confuse my dislike of you for a strong attraction to Tortorella. I’ve put no halo over his head… please produce any quotes you can find of me in this blog calling him a saint or saying something similar. I’ve recently just been calling you out on your sudden “respectful” posts about him after repeatedly attacking his character for half the year and trying to say he can’t get a job from the 30+ teams in the NHL, although only 6-7 were available as coaches often go a year or more before finding another gig.

To backup my point about your attacks on him, here were just a couple I could find in my brief search in the archives:

“but must this motormouth puffball mindlessly indulge himself every time a reporter steps up to him with a pad”

“The cost of keeping this poisonously dysfunctional employee might well exceed the cost of dismissing him. “

And I also recall you referring to him as a “little man” with several other degrading adjectives as well.

You're saying I'm biased? Tell me, who's been making the more extreme statements about tortorella, you or I?

[Rudy]

Patrick:
I think blog is about expressing individuals a opinion about anything in any forms.

Some people like Torts and his coaching, and be on last place so they can get Stamkos, some of us want something more. Like watch games, have some fun and be proud of our team. So far we was mostly ashamed, get upset before game due to changing goalie or switching a lines.

So Let’s just read this one more time:
“Hey folks, let's take some of the personal edge out of this. This is a sports page blog, not the civil war. We all have points of view; and I would like to read blogs about hockey and the Lightning without escalation to the personal stuff.
We have a re-built team, a new coach, new owners; and a lot to look forward to. My suggestion is to put the past were it belongs, in the past. Let's have some fun, let's talk hockey and the new Lightning. After all, isn't that what sports is all about, having some fun and supporting your team. “
Excellent post by LightningTod

[Rudy]

Let's have a beer!!!

[karma]

anon:
Torts is a Jack Adams winner and has his name on the Cup. I think that's judging him fairly.
He also gives back to the community, and is a role model. We were fortunate to have him here -- for sports and for his dedication.