What an exciting day it is to be a New York Rangers fan. Finally, they are free of John Tortorella!
Hockey media rejoices at this announcement!
Finally some information about the Rangers post game will be released!
Questions will be met with answers!
Team morale will skyrocket!
Goals will happen!
PP skills will be developed!
Twitter reads like an advertisement for a miracle drug. Firing Torts is the silver bullet according to some, he was the only thing holding the team back from going and winning the Stanley Cup, and now, with the right coach, the Rangers have the winning combination.
I have to look at these people and ask "Are ya crazy?"
Look Torts was rude but so are the baristas at Starbucks. Not everyone is interested in winning Miss Congeniality. He made your job harder, yeah I get that, but just because Torts isn't with the Rangers doesn't mean he's gone from the sport. Torts will find another job and the media will still have to interview him. It's part of the job.
Whether or not he is a morale killer remains to be seen. Sure, he's not the soft and fuzzy type. But Torts isn't the type to leave a guy out to dry. His methods of yelling constantly aren't the most encouraging ways, but hell, two summers ago, Brad Richards couldn't wait to rejoin Torts.
Goals happen and don't happen regardless of the coach. I refused to see this as a legitimate outcome of the Torts firing.
Torts hasn't run the PP for a while now. That job has been on Mike Sullivan's shoulders for a few seasons now. And as of publishing time, Sullivan is still employed. I repeat, THE MAN RUNNING THE PP IS STILL EMPLOYED BY THE NEW YORK RANGERS.
Whether you're a fan of the team, rival of the team, or just like to see coaches fired, it's been a big season for the removal of coaches. Is this the era of former stars becoming coaches? First Adam Oates, then Patrick Roy, and the rumors swirling about that Mark Messier is a candidate for the position. Granted there are plenty of other names being thrown out there, but one can't forget that the New York Rangers do love Mark Messier.
I'm excited for the future as a Rangers fan. I'm scared of the future. So much can happen with a new coach. But where's the fun in not changing things up. As Torts so strongly believed, "Safe is Death".
Do you think Torts's firing was justified? Do you think this is a turn around for the New York Rangers? Will you miss the Torts Era?