John Tortorella
John Robert Tortorella[1] (born June 24, 1958) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Tortorella was previously the head coach of the New York Rangers, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vancouver Canucks; he led Tampa Bay to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship.
He is the first American-born NHL coach to reach 500 wins, and has twice won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach.
Tortorella is well-known for his outspoken and sometimes confrontational nature, which has included criticizing his own players as well as media members.
Tortorella attended Concord-Carlisle High School in Concord, Massachusetts, and he is listed on the school's athletic Hall of Fame wall (1976). He also attended the University of Maine, graduating in 1981. John's brother Jim Tortorella, a goaltender, is also listed on the wall.
Tortorella, nicknamed "The Paper Italian", played right wing for three years (1978–1981) at the University of Maine. While at Maine, he played with his brother Jim, who now serves as a men's assistant coach for the Providence Friars. After college Tortorella went to Sweden to play a year in Kristianstads IK (1981–1982), after which he came back to the United States to play four years of minor pro hockey (1982–1986) in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL). During these years he skated with the Hampton Roads Gulls, Erie Golden Blades, Nashville South Stars and the Virginia Lancers.
During his days in the ACHL, Tortorella briefly played with Oren Koules while with the Hampton Roads Gulls. The two later reunited in Tampa Bay, as Tortorella was the coach and Koules was one of the new owners of the Lightning. He never played a game in the NHL
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