After starting this season 0-7-0 the upper management of the Columbus Blue Jackets felt a change, a drastic change was needed...So this morning, after getting smoked by the New York Islanders last night, the 'Jackets fired head coach Todd Richards and hired John Tortorella...Torts contract is for this season and the next two, which is the same amount of time that was left on his contract with Vancouver...and Vancouver is paying "some of it"....Columbus had to send a third round draft pick to the Canucks
After a season full of injury on top of injury...The Blue Jackets scratched and clawed late last season to be a thorn in the rest of the NHL's side...When the season was over, Richards' job seemed secure and the 'Jackets were on everyone's list of teams to watch this season...That thought was bolstered by the off-season trade for Brandon Saad, and signings of a couple role players...
Well, if you have watched them, you have seen that they aren't very watchable...The numbers of mistakes made by their defense is horrifying...A team with high expectations starting 0-7 is no good, and a move of some sort seems to be demanded by either the media, the fans, or both...Richards ended last season getting high praise form both...Now he has been shown the door...How quickly things can change....
Tortorella, well known for being a pain in the ass to his players, has a 444-371-115 record as a head coach...And a Stanley Cup ring from his time as the Lighting head coach when they won it all in 2004...When Torts time ended with the New York Rangers being hated by his players, who made it clear they were happy he was gone...His tactics that worked when they were young kids coming up, had grown tired...
In Vancouver, Tortorella didn't have the players to play his style...And they didn't seem to willing to buy in to his temper and tactics...When the coach leaves the dressing room to go after the opposing coach in his team's dressing room, it says a lot about your team and/or a lot about how they feel about you, when they don't follow you in...
In Columbus, there are a number of young players, especially on the blueline, that could use a Tortorella kick in the ass...There are also guys like Brandon Dubinsky...
Dubinsky played for Torts in New York...He became the player he is because of Torts...Playing Tortorella hockey killed some of his offensive numbers, but he plays every other aspect of the game very well...He's a Tortorella guy...I just wonder if he wants to deal with it again...
Nick Foligno can play Torts hockey...He seems to fit the mold...Saad can play it too...Christ, just walking in the door to Columbus killed his offensive numbers, so what the hell...Guys like Calvert and Atkinson, and Campbell will fit well into his system...
The guy who will have the most trouble with this move is rising superstar center, Ryan Johansen....
Johansen has all the skills...All the talent...He can play two-way hockey...But players like him often get caught in a tight spot with Tortorella...They are expected to play tight defense, physical, and then knowing their skills, Torts piles the bulk of the offensive pressure/load, on them...
I think Tortorella will help Columbus, but he may have to pull back on the asshole level slightly...His teams play D...This team has played no D so far...The 'Jackets will turnaround...I just don't know for how long...
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