Torts takes high road while job is reviewed
As John Tortorella heads into the final weekend of his first, and perhaps last, season as the Vancouver Canucks’ head coach, his deportment remains exemplary in dealing with his media inquisitors.
The coach has a new boss, Trevor Linden, looking over his shoulder and an owner, Francesco Aquilini, who hardly seemed to endorse him Wednesday during the Linden introductory news conference.
Tortorella claimed Thursday he wasn’t really aware that Aquilini had this to say in explaining the firing of Mike Gillis: “Mike hired Tortorella and I supported that decision. I have to take responsibility for that. That’s why we have a change in direction.” Tortorella’s response? “I don’t read it,” he said before the Canuck- Colorado Avalanche game at Rogers Arena. “I don’t pay too much attention to it. It’s part of my job, the speculation and all that stuff. I just don’t worry about it. I feel my responsibility is to keep working at what I’m supposed to be doing.
“So, yeah, I just don’t. I never have because that’s the world we live in. In pro sports, that’s what you’re in and that’s part of it.”
Linden, meanwhile, appeared on Bill Good’s CKNW radio program Thursday and was asked if he felt Daniel and Henrik Sedin had been misused by Tortorella. The twins’ production has dropped precipitously under Tortorella, who has deployed them in more defensive situations and as penalty killers, unlike previous coach Alain Vigneault. The twins, it should be noted, wanted more defensive responsibility.
“I think you have to use your people where they will best excel and good coaches understand that,” said Linden. “I probably felt it was a misuse of their abilities but I’d have to dig deeper into it. I think there is a player- coach relationship there and they discuss these roles. I’m not sure if John feels that was a mistake or not. I haven’t talked to John about it. I think most people would say you put your best offensive players in the best offensive positions, or situations, you can. Everyone has a different opinion on that.”
SAINT PATRICK: Rookie Colorado head coach Patrick Roy is expected to be a runaway winner for NHL coach of the year after taking the Avs from 29th place one season ago to a Stanley Cup contender this season. They entered play Thursday third in the Western Conference, ahead of the perennial powerful Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings.
Roy, 48, was reluctant to accept all the bouquets.
“I receive a lot of credit for it but I’d like to pass the credit to the players,” Roy said Thursday morning. “When they came to camp, I saw a group that was very determined to change things. It was clear that they wanted to make the playoffs. That was the objective and this is where we started working together. We established a partnership with them and put in words like ‘ trust’ and ‘ respect’ and our guys have been coming every day with a great work ethic. They have been really sharp.” DEBUT DAWNING: A month ago, the Canucks signed left- winger Mike Zalewski out of the NCAA Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was ineligible to play for the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets because his signing came after the March 5 NHL trade deadline. The plan was for the 21- year- old to practise with the club and soak up the experience. Now the plan has changed and Zalewski is expected to play either Saturday in Edmonton, or in the season finale at home Sunday, or in both.
“He has practised very well, we showed him a bunch of tape on our team concept and, to me, it’s been a really good process for him,” said Tortorella. “I am anxious to see him play.”
Zalewski, from New Hartford, N. Y., played two seasons in the B. C. Junior League with the Vernon Vipers.
Zalewski was a healthy scratch Thursday, along with Jordan Schroeder and Zac Dalpe.
QUOTABLE: “I don’t know how to act in this situation. I haven’t been in this situation many times.” — Tortorella on coaching in games that mean nothing to his team.