As I was listening to NHL Live! earlier today, host Don LaGreca mentioned that New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella should get some consideration for the Jack Adams Trophy as the league's coach of the year.
Believe it or not, Tortorella has been one of the best coaches in the league this year. Yes, guys like Craig Ramsey, Guy Boucher and Marc Crawford also deserve to get considered for the award; but before giving those guys the keys, let's take a look at why Tortorella should get some recognition for a job well done this season.
First off, with just one or two true snipers in the lineup, the Rangers currently find themselves ranked 13th in the league offensively, averaging 2.82 goals per game. With Marian Gaborik not scoring at the pace he did last season, many fans figured that the team was in trouble.
Halfway through the season, Tortorella has shown that he can get the most out of his players and a perfect example of that is Brian Boyle. Boyle almost didn't make the club out of camp, and here we are in the month of January and he has 14 goals already.
Secondly, Tortorella has done more than a solid job of managing the injuries considering the amount of his injuries his club has endured this season. The team has played without the likes of Gaborik, Chris Drury, Erik Christensen, Ryan Callahan, Michal Rozsival (no longer with the Blueshirts) and Vinny Prospal.
Even with all of those aforementioned injuries throughout the season, the team has found a way to stay highly competitive as they are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference with 53 points. Again, not bad for a team that does not have many superstars up front.
Lastly, Tortorella has his hockey club believing in the system they play in. The team works hard, is smart defensively, and has learned how to fight back in games and have big third periods, which would obviously be big come playoff time.
No one is saying that Tortorella is going to win the Jack Adams. However, with the way his hockey team has played so far this season, he certainly deserves some consideration here in mid-January.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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