Entries with the tag: john+tortorella

Canada vs USA

by Alanah on 05/06/08 at 11:44 AM
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Canada vs USA—3:30pm ET
Video —In Canada on TSN & RDS; In the USA, only by a paid feed; International viewers check here
Audio—Fan590 streaming live.
Info—Complete tournament schedule [PDF], and power rankings.

So there’s some hype building in the World Championships.  TSN says it’s a “rivalry renewed” [video], and the Globe & Mail’s Roy MacGregor is ready for a couple of teams to “get their hate on.”

This post will update periodically with screenshots of the action during the game, and a box score link will always be provided at game time. 

Should be fun: it’s Team Tortorella vs Team Hitchcock, which might make for some seriously-bad language being thrown around. If I work on my lip-reading skills, perhaps I can transcribe some John Tortorella gems…

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Tortorella Leaving May Be A Good Thing

by Paul on 04/25/08 at 01:02 PM
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from Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Tribune,

I think the Torts-led Lightning are played out.

Leaving this franchise might be the best thing for him, if not the franchise.

Yes, part of me says keep the coach, ditch the GM and hope for wondrous new ownership. Ah, the perfect world. It won’t happen.

Johnny Torts would get another job in about 139 seconds. He’d coach on. It just shouldn’t be here.

Four years ago, the Lightning won one more Stanley Cup than we ever thought they would, and Tortorella was a driving force, pushing, prodding, winning.

He’s a great coach. I like him. I love his honesty. And he cracks me up. But he’s not the man to carry this team forward, with the wiring and patience to retool and rebuild, especially with the ongoing fouled-up sale of the team.

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Confusing Statements By Tortorella

by Paul on 04/24/08 at 05:08 AM
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from the St. Petersburg Times,

John Tortorella wishes he could do it over again because he certainly would do it differently.

The Lightning coach said he regrets telling general manager Jay Feaster perhaps it was time he step down because he discovered that is not how he feels.

“I want to stay here and fight and try to make this team better with the new ownership group and Jay Feaster,” Tortorella said Wednesday. “I want to be part of the retooling.”

But at his postseason meeting with Feaster, Tortorella said the opposite; that after seven seasons and finishing 2007-08 last in the league, “Maybe there needs to be a different voice.”

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Morning Line

by Paul on 03/31/08 at 10:16 AM
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from the St. Peterburg Times,

Tortorella said, and Thrashers general manager Don Waddell confirmed, it took a commitment from USA Hockey to supply young players that are “ready to win” to seal the deal.

“We need to look by the old school,” Tortorella said. “We want players to go over there and want to play, not look at it as a chance for a vacation and then play some hockey.”

Tortorella stressed, “This isn’t a criticism of anybody else. It’s just something I believe in. You play to win. It’s a great situation in the changing of the guard.”

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Morning Line

by Paul on 03/27/08 at 09:22 AM
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from Lightning Strikes,

Lightning coach John Tortorella has been chosen by USA Hockey to coach in this year’s World Championships in Canada. Word is he is bringing associate coach Mike Sullivan with him....

Imagine the scene if the United States knocks Russia out of the semifinals. Torts at his postgame press conference. “It looks good on ‘em,’’ he will say. “I never liked that organization.’’

Those of you who recall his statements after the recent Panthers game will get that. For the rest: it’s a joke.

Why Tortorella Stays

by Paul on 03/13/08 at 08:55 AM
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from Lightning Strikes,

As for Torts quitting? Would you leave $1.3-million in the table? Besides, I’m sure he wants to see Prague (kidding).

So get used to the idea of Tortorella coming back. Things may change, of course. Koules may not get it done. Tortorella might say something even Wilson can’t abide. But given the current lay of the land, I’d say bet even money Tortorella and his staff returns to start the 2008-09 season.

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Tortorella Style May Be Wearing Thin

by Paul on 02/20/08 at 01:09 PM
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from Adam Proteau of the Hockey News,

Speaking of the Lightning – a retired NHLer and one-time assistant coach weighed in Tuesday on the Bolts’ need for a coaching change.

“It’s clear that team has stopped listening to (John) Tortorella,” the former player, who asked that his name not be used, told THN.com. “And that’s not saying Torts has forgotten how to coach. But guys who use his (hard-edged) style only have a limited shelf life....”

more and Richards talk too…

Prospal Speaks Like Tortorella

by Paul on 02/13/08 at 08:39 AM
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from Lightning Strikes,

But it was difficult to ignore Prospal’s outburst, though Torts did his best.

“I’m not here to be the happy man and make everybody happy,’’ he said. “I’m here to make calls as far as the game is concerned.’’

And this after Torts was asked if he sensed some relief in Prospal:

“I’m sure there was quite a bit of relief and a few other things, too. That’s life. He played really well. Athletes that are upset, they contribute and help the team win, coaches are happy. This isn’t a touchy-feely thing here or love fest. This is a game of hockey and we’re fighting for our life.’’

what did Prospal say, well read on…

No Clowning Around For Tortorella

by Paul on 12/06/07 at 08:13 AM
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from Lightning Strikes,

A day after the whole media clowns thing, we decide it would be funny if when coach Tortorella came in to meet with reporters today after practice at the St. Pete Times Forum, we all would wear red clown noses. Low and behold, one of the media relations people for the Lightning said he had a box of red noses from when the circus was in town, and he runs to his office to get them.

So Torts comes into the meeting room, looks at four people with red noses, breathes deeply and says, “Great guys. Can we get going here, please. I have things to do.”

Didn’t even break a grin.

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Always Good With The Quotes

by Paul on 12/05/07 at 02:28 PM
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from Lightning Strikes,

The interview finally wound around to how Lightning players were quite down on themselves after the game; glad for the victory but upset that they let the third period get away from them by allowing two goals in 36 seconds with under two minutes remaining.

Said Tortorella: “The team has always been that way,’’ meaning good at self-assessment. “Some of the (media) clowns around here don’t understand it. Not you two,’’ he said of me and Erik.

Tortorella didn’t say at whom he was upset. But something certainly got under his skin somewhere between the morning skate and the end of the game.

read on… you will find out who are not the clowns…

Tortorella 10K Lighter

by Paul on 11/21/07 at 05:23 PM
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from Lightning Strikes,

Tortorella was fined $10,000 by the league today for blasting league on-ice officials after some questionable calls hurt his team Monday night. The coach reached a boiling point after his team blew a 3-1 lead and a phantom holding penalty on Brad Richards in overtime led to Atlanta’s game-winning goal.

“The frustrating part for me is these organizations pay the players millions upon millions of dollars,” Tortorella said. “They’re the ones who need to decide outcomes of games....

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Defense Creating Offense in Tampa

by Alanah on 11/17/07 at 12:57 PM
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From the Tampa Tribune,

It took Lightning defensemen 36 games last season to reach double figures in goals scored. It took them half as long, 18 games, to reach 10 goals collectively this season.

And that’s with 20-goal scorer Dan Boyle (left wrist surgery) out for all but four games.

What’s happened, with Boyle out of the picture, is that Coach John Tortorella’s blue liners have begun to become more conscious of trying to help scoring opportunities when they’re available.

“If you’re asking your forwards to play on the other side of the puck defensively,” Tortorella said Friday, “we ask our defensemen to play on the other side of the puck, offensively. We feel like we have the people. It’s just a matter of willingness to get up the ice and make it happen.”

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Players Aren’t Prepared To Be Hit

by Paul on 11/07/07 at 06:48 PM
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from On Frozen Pond,

Torts even used Denis Potvin as an example in his pregame press conference, saying the league has gone soft. He says in Denis’ day, players expected to be hit and how a player took a hit was a big part of how the game was played. Now, he says, players don’t expect to be hit.

more and you can see today’s pre-game press conference below…

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Tortorella Safe

by Paul on 11/05/07 at 02:52 PM
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from Bob McKenzie of TSN,

One day Feaster will have to fire Tortorella – eventually, every GM does it – but that day doesn’t look as though it will happen any time soon.

What’s more likely to happen is the Lightning looking for goaltending help. Johan Holmqvist’s play was problematic on Saturday night and the Lightning were out-goaled by Rick DiPietro on Long Island last week. Prior to that, in games against New Jersey and the New York Rangers, the Lightning looked lethargic and uninspired, which helped fuel some of that Tortorella talk.

read on

added 3:11pm, from Lightning Strikes on a trade for a goalie,

Never say never, but as it stands now, such a trade is very, very remote for several reasons. The Lightning already is about $2-million over its self-imposed $44-million salary cap, so any trade, unless ownership had a 180-degree change of heart regarding how much it is willing to pay, would have to include payroll going out. Who do you get rid of?

read on

Line Of The Day

by Paul on 09/20/07 at 05:53 PM
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from Lightning Strikes,… John Tortorella on training camp soreness & injuries…

“...I’m not going to wait because of a name or because of someone projected. I’m not too interested in projections. I’m interested in getting people on the ice and getting their work done. I’m not coming down on any body here, I just want define it. Everybody is sore. Everybody is nicked up once you start camp. That’s what we go by here....”

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