While coaching the Rangers for four and a half seasons, John Tortorella did not hesitate to show his frustration with league officiating, and was especially vocal when he thought the other team was in the wrong.
Now Tortorella has taken over a Canucks team that has had a reputation for doing the thing he most despised — embellishing contact for the sake of getting calls. Before the Canucks’ 3-2 shootout win over the Devils at the Prudential Center Thursday night, Tortorella made it clear his goal was to eliminate that reputation.
When asked if he had a reason why his team is ranked 26th in a 30-league team in terms of drawing penalties, he said, “Yea, I have a thought.
“I know the reputation from the outside looking in,” said Tortorella, who for the second game in a row did his postgame press conference in the company of sick children he met from the Garden of Dreams Foundation while coaching the Rangers. “When I wasn’t coaching here, and outside, everyone thought Vancouver dove and did some whining.”
Of course, the former coach of the Canucks was Alain Vigneault, who is now coaching the Rangers. If it was a veiled shot at Vigneault and how he did not deal with his team’s penchant for flopping, well, that’s left for speculation. What is clear is that Tortorella is trying to change the perception of his 7-4-1 team.
“Our team is not going to dive,” Tortorella sad. “Our team has already been talked to. We are not going to dive and I don’t think there’s much whining going on, either.
“Now I’m certainly not trying to accuse the league or the refs of that, but I know there has been a reputation. I’ve been in the league long enough, some times that hangs around, too. So I guess it’s my chance to say we’re going to be an honest team, we’re trying to be an honest team – and I hope we get some God damn calls along the way.”
With his New England accent prevalent, and “God” coming out “Gawd”, everyone around laughed. In the comedy, he spotted a NHL official whom he has known for a long time and continued the kidding.
“Are you going to piss and moan to the league about this?” Tortorella said. “I know you’re here, lingering.”
It seemed to be fun and games, but on Tuesday night on Long Island, one of the Tortorella’s best players – and one of the league’s most renowned floppers – Ryan Kesler drew an elbowing penalty from the Islanders Frans Nielsen. Skating near the benches, Nielsen separated Kesler from the puck, and Kesler went sprawling to the ice in a heap.
Slow to get up and go to the bench, Kesler was then back on the ice to start the power play. Many feared Neilsen would have a hearing for hit from the league, which would have been likely had he actually connected with Kesler’s head.
But there was no hearing, possibly speaking to Tortorella’s point about a team’s perpetual reputation as divers – or confirming that it takes a while to actually stop diving.
Tortorella also had some interesting insights into his own perception as a coach, and how he and his new team have acclimated to each other.
Torts Reform
Tortorella also had some interesting insights into his own perception as a coach, and how he and his new team have acclimated to each other.
“This trip has helped,” Tortorella said about the current seven-game road trip they’re on, which started Oct. 15 and will wrap up Friday night in St. Louis.
“I think I’m beginning to understand them. I think it’s more important for them to understand me. I’ve tried to change a little bit in having that happen quicker.
“That follows me around, ‘Who is the guy?’,” he said. “I think sometimes perception really isn’t it. So I’m trying to be totally up front with them and totally honest with them with what I expect, with what the coaching staff expects, and how we go about our business. And I think this trip has really helped.”
While with the Rangers, Tortorella earned his reputation as hard on his players and gruff with the media. That has all seemed to soften to start this season, and it has been a preconceived change.
“The biggest thing I’m trying to battle is perception,” Tortorella said. “Because perception out there is false. Some of the stuff that people like to put out there isn’t all what it is. So I’m really trying to show them what I am, and not so much me, but how our coaching staff does our business. Because it’s a whole new coaching staff, and this trip has helped.”