The Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Todd Richards on Wednesday after the team’s 0-7-0 start, replacing him with veteran coach John Tortorella.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Tortorella, who played at the University of Maine from 1978-1981, signed a three-year contract through the 2017-18 season and will make his Blue Jackets debut on Thursday night when Columbus visits the Minnesota Wild.
“After much deliberation and discussion, we have made the very difficult decision late last night to remove Todd Richards as our head coach and we’ve reached an agreement with John Tortorella to join the Columbus Blue Jackets in that capacity,” Kekalainen said in a statement.
“None of us saw our season unfolding the way it has and every one of us from management to coaches to players bears responsibility. There is still a lot of hockey to be played and we believe this change was necessary to give our team the best chance to accomplish the goals we’ve set for this season.”
The Blue Jackets, who lost 4-0 at home to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, plan to retain assistant coaches Craig Hartsburg and Brad Larsen, according to TSN.
Richards, 49, was 127-112-21 with the Blue Jackets after taking over midway through the 2011-12 season. He has a career coaching record of 204-183-37 with the Wild and Blue Jackets. After making the playoffs in the 2013-14 season for the second time in franchise history, the Blue Jackets fell to 11th in the conference last season.
“On behalf of our organization, I want to thank Todd for his many contributions both on and off the ice to the Columbus Blue Jackets over the past four-plus years,” club president of hockey operations John Davidson said. “He took over under very difficult circumstances and did a terrific job guiding our team to heights it had not before reached. I have great respect for Todd as a coach and a person and wish nothing but the best for him, his wife, Maryann, and their wonderful family.”
Tortorella, 57, last coached in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks in the 2013-14 season. The Canucks, who fired him after missing the Stanley Cup playoffs, will receive a second-round draft pick from the Blue Jackets as compensation since Tortorella remained under contract there.
ESPN.com reported that Tortorella’s deal is for the same terms and money that were left on his previous one with the Canucks, who are paying a portion of his new contract.
“They’ve got some pieces,” Tortorella said of the Blue Jackets at an introductory news conference later Wednesday. “It’s really exciting to be part of, because you’re going to be teaching and developing kids, teaching them how to be pros. Along with doing that, you’re looking to win. It’s a team that’s ‘there.’ I’m just honored to be part of it.”
Tortorella has compiled a 446-375-115 record (.538) in 936 games during his NHL coaching career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Canucks. His teams have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs eight times and he led the Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship and the Rangers to the 2012 Eastern Conference Final.
Tortorella leads American-born coaches with 446 wins. He is set to coach Team USA at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
“John Tortorella is an experienced National Hockey League coach with a proven track record of success,” Kekalainen said. “He is a Stanley Cup winner and we believe the right person to lead our team at this time.”