Rumours are swirling that former New York Rangers’ coach John Tortorella may be named head coach of the Vancouver Canucks after he flew to Vancouver Friday.
Tortorella landed in Vancouver at around 1 p.m. and was whisked away in a black SUV immediately.
Although the Canucks have reportedly offered him a deal and he was here to work out the details, the team hasn’t confirmed anything.
Ironically, this comes just hours after Alain Vigneault was officially introduced as head coach of Tortorella’s old team. Tortorella was fired after the Rangers lost to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Vigneault, who was fired after a disastrous playoff run saw the Canucks lose 4-0 in the Western Conference Quarter Finals to the San Jose Sharks, signed a five-year contract with the Rangers just four weeks after.
“Honour and privilege is what I feel at this moment. I’m coming here to win and there’s no doubt in my mind that this organization is committed to winning the Stanley Cup,” Vigneault said in a statement.
Rangers general manager Glen Sather said Vigneault’s offensive-oriented style of play would be a benefit to the team.
Sather said the team had become too defensive-minded under Tortorella, something that may bring a fresh perspective to the Canucks if he is named head coach.
Tortorella won the Stanley Cup in 2004 while he was head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
More to come
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