Torts: Made In Manhattan

John Tortorella was confirmed tonight as coach of the New York Rangers.

The Rangers have been a problematic team for many, many years. I remember them as an Original Six team. They always seemed to go through coaches non-stop as the team bounced from competitiveness to mediocrity and back again. Alf Pike, Doug Harvey, Muzz Patrick, Emile 'The Cat' Francis, 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion, Larry Popein, Ron Stewart, John Ferguson Sr, Jean Guy Talbot, Fred Shero, Craig Patrick, Herb Brooks, Ted Sator, Tom Webster, Phil Esposito, Michel 'Le Tigre' Bergeron, Roger Neilson and Ron Smith all went through the revolving door--19 coaches in thirty two seasons--a little more than an average of three seasons per coach--from 1961 to 1993.

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 1994 under 'Iron Mike' Keenan--out after just one season--the Rangers have seen seven coaches come and go.

Can Torts make it happen in Manhattan? He was, in fact, briefly head coach for the Rangers--filling for four games while an assistant in 2000 between John Muckler and Ron Low.

Tortorella inherits a team with one of the best goalies in hockey--but some serious issues on defense and upfront...and the question of character looms large.

Will John Tortorella turn the Rangers around? What do you think he will bring to that team? Should the Sens have hired him instead of Hartsburg or Clouston?

Looking forward to your comments.

Meanwhile, here's the full text of the story from TSN.

TORTORELLA NAMED RANGERS' NEW HEAD COACH

John Tortorella will be coaching the New York Rangers.

Sources say he is on his way to New York tonight and whatever issues exist between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Rangers are not expected to prevent him from taking over the Blueshirts after Tom Renney was fired earlier in the day.

But that doesn't mean the issues between the two teams have been solved.

''It's very complex,'' one source said.

But it would appear that all involved are now acknowledging Tortorella is going to coach the team.

Tortorella's path to the Ranger job was cleared, sources say, because the Lightning gave Tortorella written permission in June to seek other employment and that permission was never revoked.

But sources say there are still some outstanding issues that have clouded the whole situation, involving other members of the Tampa Bay organization. The Rangers and the Lightning, with the input of the NHL, are attempting to resolve them and while a negotiated settlement is possible, it could well be that formal tampering charges could be filed by the Lightning against the Rangers before all is said and done.

This may have something to do with Lightning assistant coach Mike Sullivan, who reportedly has a clause in his contract that he could join Tortorella if Tortorella were to be named head coach elsewhere in the NHL.

But whatever issues exist between the two teams, they are not enough to prevent Tortorella from being on the ice with the Rangers at practice Tuesday morning.

''Torts is going to bring a lot more fire to his approach,'' Rangers general manager Glen Sather told THE CANADIAN PRESS. ''I just felt that we needed to get more fire in there.''

Tortorella led the Lightning to the franchise's first Stanley Cup title in the 2003-04 season as the Bolts defeated the Calgary Flames in seven games. His 239 career wins is second to only Peter Laviolette as the most ever by an American-born NHL coach.

The Boston-born Tortorella began his NHL coaching career as an assistant with the Buffalo Sabres in 1989. He then captured the AHL's Calder Cup in 1996 as head coach of the Rochester Americans.

Tortorella replaced Steve Ludzik as Tampa Bay's head coach in 2001. The Lightning reached the playoff four times on Tortorella's watch, winning the Southeast division twice in the process.

Tortorella was fired by the Lightning after the team missed the playoffs last season. He was immediately scooped up by TSN, joining the NHL on TSN panel.

Not going to make one lick of difference.

They'll probably make the playoffs and get trounced in the first. They'd be better off missing, becoming big sellers and getting a better pick. But, hell, someone's got to slip into 8th and lose to the Bruins in a tune-up series. Glad it won't be us for a second year in a row.

Well, we shall see Wednesday night when the Rangers meet the Leafs in Toronto.

IMHO Torts will do what Keenan did--whip their New York butts into shape. He wants to win so bad...and you know this is the job he has been dreaming of since Day One.

They will win 5 in a row then lose the next 20.

In all seriousness, Redden, Naslund and a few others are done as nhl players. You just don't sign the 1st UFA who will accept your millions, it kills everything in the dressing room. Can anybody tell me who is the leader in this team? THe poor Dubinsky has stopped skating, and I think TOrtorella can wake him up. GOmez and Drury can light up a little bit too. As for Redden, he is just not that good anymore, it's not even about the effort. And he took Roszival in his sinking ship.

marakh wrote:They will win 5 in a row then lose the next 20.

In all seriousness, Redden, Naslund and a few others are done as nhl players. You just don't sign the 1st UFA who will accept your millions, it kills everything in the dressing room. Can anybody tell me who is the leader in this team? THe poor Dubinsky has stopped skating, and I think TOrtorella can wake him up. GOmez and Drury can light up a little bit too. As for Redden, he is just not that good anymore, it's not even about the effort. And he took Roszival in his sinking ship.

Marakh, who's your avatar this time BTW?

As to your question...Tortorella is now the leader, something Renney--who is a fine coach, but too cerebral for this jaded crew--was not.

Torts, according to Jay Feaster, has great respect for Lundqvist. Look for changes in the way the Rangers play...and soon.

This is a terrific article by ESPN's Pierre Lebrun on the coaching switch:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3929474&name=lebrun_pierre

Dude's in my avatar is callled Naked Snake (CIA agent). Well, that's his codename, we dont really his real name Main character in Metal Gear Solid 3. Also called Big Boss, later on in his life.

As for Torts, I would assume he is gonna make the "clouston" style, if what you say is true about him having confidence in Lundqvist. But how long will that work? As I said, if they keep plaing Redden 20+ minutes, they are puting themselves in toruble.

marakh wrote:Dude's in my avatar is callled Naked Snake (CIA agent). Well, that's his codename, we dont really his real name Main character in Metal Gear Solid 3. Also called Big Boss, later on in his life.

As for Torts, I would assume he is gonna make the "clouston" style, if what you say is true about him having confidence in Lundqvist. But how long will that work? As I said, if they keep plaing Redden 20+ minutes, they are puting themselves in toruble.

Verykewl avatar, M.

IMHO Wade The Blade won't be playing 20+ minutes under The Tortorinator.

Oh, Wade has a blade alright, its just on top of a mirror.

How are the Rangers players going to deal with losing one tyrant and gaining another? Renney was an arse apparently - and now they get another arse. Let's see how it works.

Torts isnt going to do a thing there. Who's head is he gonna knock in? Zherdev? Hitch tried that, thats why he is in NY.

Redden? "hey wade, play better or we will trade you...oh... wait, we cant"

"Drury, Gomez, lets get in on the other team, forcheck hard, lets go"

Drury "Ok Scott, you go first"

Torts is set up to fail there in a big way, a HUGE way. He doesnt have the players or character he needs to actually win.

^ Really he doesn't. The only piece he has is one of the elite netminders in the game, but he has no character, no identity, just...blah...a mess of players all scrambled up together making way too much $$.

Mind you, is this Sather being a genius, or just doing a Hail Mary. The Rangers will probably come out guns blazing the next 5 games and that might push them into a playoff spot for good.

Like when Lou fired Julien at the end of the year before the playoffs.

Sather has to fix that mess or Torterella is just going to be a face behind the bench with a big mouth.

davetherave wrote:

marakh wrote:Dude's in my avatar is callled Naked Snake (CIA agent). Well, that's his codename, we dont really his real name Main character in Metal Gear Solid 3. Also called Big Boss, later on in his life.

As for Torts, I would assume he is gonna make the "clouston" style, if what you say is true about him having confidence in Lundqvist. But how long will that work? As I said, if they keep plaing Redden 20+ minutes, they are puting themselves in toruble.

Verykewl avatar, M.

IMHO Wade The Blade won't be playing 20+ minutes under The Tortorinator.

Yep, I like this picture. It's at the end of the game, during a very sad moment...