Vancouver Canucks President and GM Michael D. Gillis announced today that John Tortorella has been named Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Tortorella becomes the 17th Head Coach in club history.
“We are proud to introduce John Tortorella as Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks,” said Michael D. Gillis, President and General Manager, Canucks Sports & Entertainment. “John has coached championship teams and is passionate about winning.
He has a proven ability to bring the best out of his players and we believe he has all of the qualities to bring our team success.”
Tortorella, 55, is a Boston, Massachusetts native with a 13-year NHL head coaching career between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. He has posted a record of 410-340-37-67 in 854 NHL regular season games coached, reached the playoffs on eight occasions, won the Stanley Cup in 2003-04 and was recognized with the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the year, following 2003-04.
Tortorella currently ranks first on the NHL’s all-time wins list among American-born coaches and ranked fifth among active coaches for most games coached at the conclusion of the 2012.13 season.
Tortorella coaching experience spans 24 years, serving in a number of different capacities. He previously acted as an Assistant Coach with the New York Rangers (1999-00), Phoenix Coyotes (1997-99) and the Buffalo Sabres (1989-95).
Tortorella had success at the AHL and ACHL level, winning the league championships with the Rochester Americans (AHL) in the 1995-96 season and the Virginia Lancers (ACHL) in the 1986-87 campaign.
On the international stage, Tortorella most recently served as an Assistant Coach for the silver medal-winning Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. He also served as Team USA’s Head Coach at the 2008 World Championship and Assistant Coach at the 2005 World Championship.
Tortorella played right wing as a member of Salem State College and the University of Maine of the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC). He continued his playing career in Sweden before returning to North America where he joined the Hampton Road Gulls, Erie Golden Blades and Virginia Lancers of the ACHL.
Away from the rink, Tortorella and his wife play an active role in the community, with the John and Christine Tortorella Family Foundation. Both personally and in conjunction with the NY Rangers Garden of Dreams Foundation and the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation, they have focused their unique resources to advance amateur hockey and educational enrichment opportunities for children, along with medical research and treatment for those in need.
Tortorella and his wife, Chris, have two children, Brittany and Dominick.
Thanks to the Canucks media department for the info.
