Torts is back!

Good news everybody, Torts is back!

John Tortorella, who coached the Vancouver Canucks to a dreadful 36-35-11 record during the 2013-14 season, is visiting Vancouver for the first time since he was fired.

Torts – "I walked down that hallway…the one I shouldn't have gone down before. I had a good chuckle. I was looking for that camera."

— Irfaan Gaffar (@sportsnetirf) February 3, 2016

He’s the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets now of course, after taking over in October.

Tortorella took over a team that was 0-7-0 to start the season. They improved initially, going 7-5-0 in their next 12 games, before everything crashed back down to Earth.

The Blue Jackets, who are dead last in the NHL, are 19-21-5 under Tortorella. He called out the team’s #1 centre two days into his tenure, paving the way for him to be traded months later.

Told that after 1st period Tortorella told Johansen that he's not in shape. Center then got 4 shifts in 3rd. #Predictable #Torts

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) October 23, 2015

Last night they got rolled by the Edmonton Oilers, losing 5-1 to a team that was tied with them in the standings.

Fans in Vancouver can’t be surprised.

Everything started off well for Torts in Vancouver. The team started off extremely well, playing inspired hockey. They had a record of 23-11-6.

Then January came.

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The team began to slide. Everyone got injured or overplayed. Torts stormed the Flames dressing room. He drove Luongo out of town. He drove Kesler out of town. The team finished 6th last in the NHL. The team tried (unsuccessfully) to keep him at the rink to coach the team at practice on game days, building a Murphy bed in his office.

It was both hilarious and disastrous.

So it’s no wonder why the media couldn’t wait to talk to him today.

Torts' comments from his media scrum today, recorded by @TSN1040 https://t.co/yoZrmWyP4I

— Omar A (@omarcanuck) February 3, 2016

In some ways though, Torts was the best thing to happen to the Canucks. The team needed to rebuild, and Torts probably sped up that process by virtue of his incompetence.

He even fetched the Canucks a 2nd round pick as compensation when the Blue Jackets signed him.

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