After the Columbus Blue Jackets' 5-4 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers, a loss in which Patrik Laine was benched, it was posed by TSN's Pierre LeBrun that head coach John Tortorella may be trying to force his way out.
While on its face that seems like a silly thought, this is now the second time that it has been said by a member of the media *this season*. The first time it was brought up by The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, early on in February was the first time Laine was benched.
Aaron Portzline, who covers the Blue Jackets for The Athletic, telling @TonyMarinaro on TSN 690 a minute ago that he thinks John Tortorella might want out of Columbus himself, which could be why he benched Patrik Laine last night for the entire third period.
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) February 9, 2021
Here's TSN's Pierre LeBrun wondering aloud on air about whether John Tortorella wants to be fired... #CBJ https://t.co/8ryUFrIZJk pic.twitter.com/2PUg4WSUkS
— SpecmenceCBJ (@SpecmenceCBJ) March 12, 2021
So, let us take the idea at face value. First, let's look at why this could even be a thought.
Looking at the team, it makes sense why Tortorella may want out of the situation. They do not have any centers of note that can make plays on a nightly basis. If they were aiming to contend, this is too glaring of an issue. Max Domi was a hopeful option as a No. 2 center, and that hasn't worked. Recently we've seen Riley Nash paired with Laine, which is not exactly a vote of confidence for the centers on this team.
The team is really not built in his image. While Tortorella may be preaching his defense-first philosophy, the players that are on the roster are decidedly not that. You have some two-way forwards that can pitch in offensively, but there are offensive specialists scattered all over the lineup. Those players are not getting the ice time needed to really benefit the team.
This isn't even mentioning the possibility that without a contract after this year, Tortorella could feel like a lame-duck coach. Whether that is retiring after this or just being perturbed by the lack of progress, the lack of extension raises more questions than it provides answers.
If he really wanted out, you may ask, why doesn't he just quit? Well, that would then void the rest of the contract and the payment that could be coming his way. Why do that when getting fired could yield more income?
With all of that being said, the idea of a coach being this undermining is laughable. For someone as competitive as Tortorella, the losses piling up aren't only a bruise on his record, but also his ego. Getting this team to the playoffs would be a feather in his cap, similar to what he did last year. This is a team that is very similar in its construction.
As the losses continue to pile up, the questions are going to continue to get asked. This is one that is simply too odd to not address.
