Tortorella felt firing by Canucks was justified: report

John Tortorella believes he deserved to be fired as coach after one season with the Vancouver Canucks.

During an interview Friday with WDAE 620 AM in Tampa, Tortorella said poor play in the second half of the season is what led to the end of his time with the Canucks.

"We had a great first half, but I don't think I did the job for the team the second half, with our consistency," he told the radio station. "And I think that's what cost me my job. We just … we couldn't stop the losing streaks. We needed to win a couple of games within those areas.

"And quite honestly, I deserved to get fired after that second half of the year."

The root of Tortorella's problems in Vancouver could be traced to a game against the Calgary Flames on Jan. 18, 2014, which had a line brawl off the opening faceoff, and then Tortorella tried to get into the Flames locker room to confront coach Bob Hartley after the first period.

The NHL suspended Tortorella for 15 days for the incident. The Canucks, who were 24-16-9 and holding the first Western Conference wild-card spot into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, went 12-19-2 the rest of the way and finished eight points out of a playoff spot. Tortorella was fired May 1, 2014.

"I know I make my own bed in some of these different things that's happened," Tortorella said. "You're talking to a guy that went down the hallway after another coach last year, which was so, so across the line and so embarrassing to my organization and my team."

Tortorella is helping the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate Hockey Day in Tampa Bay on Feb. 15 at Amalie Arena. Tortorella coached the Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup.

Tortorella will coach one side in the Lightning Conference All-Star Game, which features the best area high school hockey players. Coaching the other team will be Dave Andreychuk, the captain of the Lighting's championship team who works as the Lightning vice president of corporate and community affairs.

"I am there to win there, that's for sure," Tortorella told the Lightning website. "I am sure [Andreychuk] is too. I just want to help out in any way. Once you start playing, once you get into the competition, I'm sure everybody on the benches on either team is going to try to win. As long as we know what it's about, it's about two great charities that are going to raise a lot of money."

Tortorella will help coach both sides in the Battle of the Badges game between a team of fire fighters and a team of police officers.

"Everybody, when they talk about the team, the players or the sport, they put those people on a pedestal," Tortorella said. "I think the real stuff happens with the firemen and the policemen. Those are the real people. That's who we should be putting on a pedestal. Whatever support we can show them, I'm happy to do it."

Tortorella, who has a house in the Tampa area, said he has enjoyed watching the Lightning this season but hasn't been to Amalie Arena often.

"It's a little bit difficult for me," he said. "I feel funny going there. That's not my team. I just don't feel comfortable being around that much because it isn't my squad. I don't want to get in the way. I've been here a couple months and watching them, and, boy, are they an exciting team to watch."