Todd Richards Fired, Tortorella Hired in Replacement

Todd Richards started the NHL season with seven straight losses as bench boss, and the Columbus Blue Jackets have finally parted ways the now ex-coach. The Blue Jackets were notoriously slow-starters coming out of the gates under Todd Richards.

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NHL.com reported,

Todd Richards has a career coaching record of 204-183-37 with the Minnesota Wild and Blue Jackets. Columbus made the playoffs in 2014 for the second time in their franchise history. They lost an Eastern Conference First Round series to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games, then fell to 11th in the conference last season.“None of us saw our season unfolding the way it has and every one of us from management to coaches to players bears responsibility,” Kekalainen said. “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.”

Somewhat quick to act, it looks as though GM Jarmo Kekalainen had replacements set in mind, signing the rumored John Tortorella to replace Todd Richards.

Tortorella, 57, signed a three-year contract. He leads American-born coaches with 446 wins and 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,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen told the Blue Jackets website. “He is a Stanley Cup winner and we believe the right person to lead our team at this time.”Tortorella 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 and was hired in-season.He won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and reached the Eastern Conference Final with the New York Rangers in 2012.

Tortorella walks in to take control of a team notoriously known for sloppy play and bad turnovers. Todd Richards had the team playing a one man deep forecheck that proved ineffective. The new coach will implement a new system, hopefully one better designed to suit this style of players. It will be interesting to see how Torts handles this defensive group, led by the worst plus minus since he entered the league, Jack Johnson.

Tortorella won’t be afraid to bench the players that decide not to show up to play, but GM Jarmo Kekalainen will still need to offer their new coach some help via a trade for a blue-liner. We’ll have to see if the new bench boss can help save this Blue Jackets team before they bury themselves in a hole they can’t get out of.

Next: 2016 Free Agency: Looming Extensions

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