Lightning names Tortorella to staff

John Tortorella, a former New York Rangers assistant, joins as an associate coach.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 8, 2000

John Tortorella and his family have lived in their house in Darien, Conn., for nine months.

The 1-acre plot has been landscaped, and bathrooms have been constructed. But the kitchen still is being renovated, and some boxes are still packed.

Of course, it is time to move.

Tortorella, a former Rangers assistant, was named as a Lightning associate coach Friday. The 42-year-old was chosen over former Flyers assistants Wayne Cashman, a Tampa Bay assistant from 1992-96, and Roger Neilson.

He joins associate coach John Torchetti and fills positions vacated by John Cullen, who is selling cars in suburban Atlanta, and Brad Shaw, who is coach of the International Hockey League's Detroit Vipers, a Lightning farm team.

Lightning general manager Rick Dudley said no other coaches will be hired.

"The easiest decision was Wayne Cashman," Dudley said. "We liked Wayne. The most dramatic decision was Roger Neilson. There are people who are going to say we made the wrong decision, but they don't know John Tortorella. John Tortorella is one hell of a coach and has one hell of a hockey mind. And he has one hell of a work ethic."

"This is a fantastic opportunity," said Tortorella, who got a two-year deal with an option. "To have an opportunity to go to a young team, that's what excites me.

Tortorella, who spent one season with New York, was the Rangers' interim coach after John Muckler was fired with four games remaining. He was left out of the mix after Glen Sather was hired as president and general manager.

Tortorella spent two seasons as a Coyotes assistant; two as coach of the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans, winning the Calder Cup in 1995-96; and six as a Sabres assistant.

He was an assistant under Dudley in 1988-89 with the AHL's New Haven Nighthawks. When Dudley became the Sabres' coach, Tortorella went with him. Lightning coach Steve Ludzik played 11 games for Buffalo that season.

Because of that familiarity, Dudley said, he wanted assistant general manager Jay Feaster and scouting coordinator Jake Goertzen in on the decision to hire Tortorella. "There was not one dissenting person," Dudley said. "I think he's the best guy for the job because of the number of things he brings," Ludzik said. "He has been in the league a long time as an assistant. He's a guy that relates well to the players, and he's as dedicated as you have seen."

Not everyone was thrilled with the the process. Cashman, reached at his home in Ocala, said Ludzik called him about a week ago to arrange a meeting.

"I never heard from them again," Cashman said. "I thought I could do a job for them. Apparently, they didn't think so. I just wish they had called."

Ludzik said Cashman put off the meeting: "I called him about coming down, and he said he was too busy. I don't want to waste anybody's time, either. I said we hadn't made a decision and nothing is in stone, and he said he had a lot of things on his plate for this week. And that's what happened."

Tortorella had a communication breakdown with Sather, who Tortorella said never called him to discuss his future with the Rangers. "I wanted to talk to him as far as the game and interest for the head coaching job. But, hey, that's the game," Tortorella said. "I don't blame him at all. The coaching staff at New York last year, we did not do our job."

The Tortorella family -- which includes wife Christine; daughter Brittany, 13; and son Dominick, 10 -- plans to use its house in Darien as a summer home. Tortorella said he doesn't want to sever his childrens' ties with their friends. "I didn't want to leave," he said. "But things come up, and to have the opportunity to go to Tampa, I am very fortunate."

Around the NHL

BLUE JACKETS: Columbus signed Czech defenseman Frantisek Kucera. Kucera played 354 games in the NHL over seven years, recently with Philadelphia in 1996-97

CANADIENS: Captain Saku Koivu agreed to a one-year contract, accepting the qualifying offer to play at last year's salary of $3.3-million.. Patrick Poulin, Enrico Ciccone, P.J. Stock, Sylvain Blouin and Eric Bertrand signed.

COYOTES: Phoenix signed free-agent right wing Landon Wilson to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2001-02 season. Wilson, 25, played 40 games for the Boston Bruins last season.

FLYERS: Philadelphia signed troubled free-agent Kevin Stevens, a former Penguins star, to a one-year contract. Terms were not released.

Stevens faces felony drug possession charges and misdemeanor charges of soliciting a prostitute and possessing drug paraphernalia in Illinois. Stevens said he expected the matter to be cleared up within a month.

RANGERS: Doug Messier, the father and agent of Mark Messier, indicated the Messiers were talking only to New York. Doug Messier said a deal to bring Messier, a 39-year-old free-agent center, back to the Rangers could be done Monday.

SENATORS: Alexei Yashin said he will sit out another season if his dispute with Ottawa is not resolved. Yashin sat out the 1999-00 season, demanding a new contract even though a year remained on his old one for $3.6-million.

Arbitrator Lawrence Holden said Yashin owes the Senators another year of service and that he will not be a free agent until he fulfills the contract's terms.

WILD: Left wing Peter Bartos, Minnesota's seventh-round pick in the June draft, signed..

- Information from Times wires was used in this report.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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