Being around the NHL, you'll see everything.
This past Columbus Blue Jackets season was anything other than by the book. Head coach John Tortorella knows that and as a result is nominated for the Jack Adams award (awarded to the best head coach).
He joins a couple other Blue Jackets in going out to Las Vegas for what will surely be an interesting week. As many being to speculate on who will be selected by the Golden Knights, Columbus is already thinking extension with Tortorella.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen spoke to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch about the likelihood that Tortorella stays with the team past this year.
(Tortorella) needs to want to extend with us,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. We’re hoping he does. We certainly want to.
He did a great job for us, together with his coaching staff. I don’t ever want to pin it on just him; he has a great staff helping him out. There’s no coach in the world, in my opinion, who can coach a team well without any good players. We have some great young talent, and I think he can bring our team to the next level. So hopefully we get it done.
Kekalainen is keeping it at an arms length due to possible number adjustments that will take place if Tortorella wins the award. It would put him into prestigious company. It could price the Blue Jackets out of his price market.
The Dispatch also reports that the Blue Jackets pay $750,000 of Tortorella's $2 million contract from when he was with the Vancouver Canucks. They aren't paying him like a Canadian market and it will be compelling to see if they will before heading into this next season.
Tortorella is 84-56-16 with the Blue Jackets, putting him just below a .600 winning percentage. This next season will be his third with the team.
