Lightning ax Tortorella

This is someone I expected to snap a while ago ...

¶ TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - John Tortorella was fired Tuesday as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, four years after leading the team to its only Stanley Cup championship. He had one season remaining on his contract.
¶ The Lightning were 239-222-36-38 and made the playoffs four times in 6 1/2 seasons under Tortorella.
¶ ``This has been a very difficult decision because of everything that John Tortorella has meant to and done for this organization,'' Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said in a statement.
¶ ``Torts came to Tampa and not only built the foundation under our club but he also changed the culture and raised the expectations, eventually leading us to the Stanley Cup in 2004. What he accomplished during his tenure in Tampa was nothing short of remarkable and our organization will always owe him our thanks, gratitude and deep respect.''
¶ The firing came as no surprise. There has already been speculation about television analyst and former Los Angeles Kings coach Barry Melrose possibly replacing Tortorella.
¶ Melrose is a friend of Oren Kroules, who is leading a group that is trying to buy the Lightning.
¶ ``John was entering the final year of his contract and extending his contract was not a viable option,'' Feaster said. ``Having him enter and coach the season in a lame duck status was not something I was prepared to recommend to ownership.''

 

We know what he did.

 

Barry Melrose? Ugh.

 

Larry Brooks

 

So get the f ... ahhh, never mind.

The only reason I'm glad Tampa did this? Helps my team. He was the first, second and third reasons hockey became worthwhile and relevant there.

Feaster fouled up. Thanks!

 

Bill Davidson a busy man today.

 

Tortorella's act gets tired really quickly so you can imagine what it'd be like playing for him.

 

That's exactly what happened with Melrose in L.A.
By midseason in 1993, I thought that if I heard him say, "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you" one more time I was gonna scream. Instead, I'd say to him, "The ticket-buying public demands to know."
I know the players were tired of it. A key thing on that run to the Stanley Cup Finals was Gretzky missing more than half of the season because of a back injury. He came back and was still fresh for the playoffs. Melrose charmed the columnist, who starting showing up late in the season.
The next draft, he picked a goon in the first round. If he really wanted him, he probably would have been available in the fourth round. Melrose was fired after that and hasn't coached again. Shit, 15 years. Why is he so attractive now?

 

He's a television personality and people remember that the Kings went to the Cup Final.

Torts should have his pick of jobs. I think he'd be a great fit for the Sharks.

 

I thought this thread was about this:

 

The best case scenario for Canadiam media is for Tortorella and Wilson to take over the Leafs and Ottawa.

And then Burke could move up and be the Leafs GM.

The fun would never stop. There'd be a daily soundbite from each of them .

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