Blue Jackets' John Tortorella fined for fiery comments, fans start GoFundMe page
John Tortorella is kicking off the new year $20,000 poorer after he was fined by the NHL for comments he made post-game on Dec. 29, the league announced Wednesday.
Tortotella was incensed after his Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in a game steeped with controversy. According to the 61-year-old head coach, the clock ran down an extra second or so in the final minute of overtime with the score tied at two. As a result, Zach Werenski’s shot that found the back of the net a fraction of a second after the extra frame’s final buzzer was negated.
As a result the game extended to a shootout, where Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo suffered a torn meniscus while trying to make a save on Jonathan Toews’ attempt. It was announced by the team on Tuesday that Korpisalo underwent surgery on Monday and will be out 4-6 weeks.
Before he even knew the extent of the injury, Tortorella went on a fiery rant during the post-game press conference.
John Tortorella rips into the refs and the NHL review process before walking out of his press conference pic.twitter.com/1USZBloGv6
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) December 30, 2019
Tortorella’s full comments. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/wfpQGOlhfj
— Alison (@AlisonL) December 30, 2019
The two-time Jack Adams Award winner has now been fined nine times and suspended three in his NHL coaching career, according to John Shannon.
In a show of support, fans have made a GoFundMe page to raise money for Tortorella’s Family Foundation and it’s rapidly gaining traction. As of Wednesday evening, it has raised nearly $1,000. Comments on the page have praised Tortorella for calling out the league and standing up for his team.
Hilariously, the name of the fundraiser is “The whistle was blown at 19.2” — Torts’ first line of his latest infamous rant.
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