COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets have mutually agreed to part ways with John Tortorella, the franchise’s winningest coach, following a six-year tenure, the team announced Sunday.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced the decision a day after the Blue Jackets (17-26-12) finished last in the Central Division, concluding their season with a 5-4 overtime win against Detroit.
Tortorella made the following statement in a Blue Jackets press release:
“After discussion and consideration of the future direction of the team, Jarmo and I have come to a mutual agreement to part ways. I’d like to thank the Columbus Blue Jackets organization for the opportunity to coach this team and live in the great Columbus-area. It has been a privilege to work with the players, coaches and hockey operations staff, which is one of the best in the League. Also, I want to thank the CBJ fans and the community for the support they’ve given the team and for the work of the CBJ family in support of the community.
“My family and I have loved living and working in the area. We have made life-long friends here, so we do feel considerable sadness, which is to be expected, when something so meaningful comes to an end. This is a great hockey community and I wish everyone here great success moving forward. Thank you again.”
The Blue Jackets paid tribute to Tortorella on Twitter after the team announced he was out as head coach of the team.
The 62-year-old Tortorella was in the final season of his contract.
After the Blue Jackets beat Detroit on Saturday, Tortorella said he was upset about the team's record but was mum about his future with the team.
“It was miserable. It sucked,” Tortorella said after the 18-26-12 finish. “But I think you got to turn it around and learn from it, and I hope we’re never involved in that situation again.”
Tortorella led the Blue Jackets to four straight playoff appearances after the team qualified for the postseason just twice in its first 15 seasons. The Blue Jackets also won their first playoff series in team history with a four-game sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning in a 2019 first-round series.
The Blue Jackets went 227-166-54 under Tortorella, including a team-best 50-24-8 finish in 2016-17.
Tortorella is from Boston and ranks first among U.S.-born coaches in career wins with a 673-541-169 record. He coached Tampa Bay to a Stanley Cup title in 2004, and he also coached the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks.
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