Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Tortorella: We're Soft Mentally

Jeff Z. Klein at Slap Shot was able to sit down with John Tortorella after yesterday’s practice sessions at the U.S. Olympic team orientation camp...

On players needing to earn their time this year...

“It’s a process, it’s accountability, it’s merit,” he said, then outlined a program of eternal Darwinian struggle. “No one’s locked into any positions — people are going to earn their time, they’re always going to have to earn their time. Even if they get some, if they don’t keep on going they may get moved around a little bit. I think that makes it into more of a hard-type situation. This is a hard game. I just think we’re soft mentally, and I think we have to grow in that area.”

...i really love the level of accountability Tortorella brings to the team. Although Torts might have to work on his own accountability (See last year's playoff water bottle incident). I thought Renney did a good job of holding players accountable when he first came in but it trailed off at the end. I don't see that happening with Torts.

Tortorella also spoke about Prospal, training camp, the Messier hiring, Gaborik, and had this to say about Scott Gomez being traded...

"With us moving Scotty, I don’t think he played that well — I think Scott Gomez is honest about that too, I don’t think he thought he played that well — and we had an opportunity to get out of a contract there that was jamming us a little bit with the cap. I thought that Glen did a terrific job in taking care of that part of it. But I don’t begrudge Scotty anything as a hockey player, and he’s a good guy. Some of the onus belongs on our organization: we didn’t have a whole bunch of wingers that could help him."

...i also love his honesty. Sure Gomez didn't play well as a Ranger, but it did have a lot to do with not having a sniper on the wing. Pretty ironic that when the Rangers finally bring that sniper in (Gaborik) they move Gomez out.

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