The rumours have been flying for weeks in Vancouver, but the Vancouver Canucks have finally named their new man behind the bench. In a press conference today, Canucks GM Mike Gillis introduced John Tortorella as the franchise’s 17th head coach. It’s a coaching swap between two franchises, with Tortorella taking over from the fired Alain Vigneault, who is taking over Torts’ old job as the head coach of the New York Rangers.
[Watch the Canucks’ press conference and read the TSN article]
Tortorella’s resume includes 24 years in coaching, a Stanley Cup and Jack Adams Awards as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, and a silver medal as an assistant coach at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. After 3 seasons as head coach for the New York Rangers, he was fired after the Rangers were ousted in the second round of the playoffs this year. It should be interesting days ahead for the Vancouver sports media, as Tortorella has become every bit as famous (or infamous) for his often terse relationship with reporters as he is for his brash, fiery coaching style.
Local sports bloggers and Tweeters have wasted no time having a field day with predictions on how Torts will handle the spotlight in the hockey-mad Vancouver market. Last week, The Province’s Wyatt Arndt (also known by his Twitter handle @TheStanchion) responded to the rumours of Tortorella’s hiring by illustrating more than a few possible scenarios for the new bench boss. Love him or hate him, Torts alone should make for some interesting storylines going into next season. On the hockey side of things – you know, the side that we should probably all be concerned about – it’s a wake-up call for a Canucks team that has come close to winning it all, but has often been accused of pulling a disappearing act in the postseason in 2012 and 2013.
What do you think of the hiring of John Totorella? Do you like it or dislike it?