Blue Jackets sign Tortorella to one-year extension

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Head Coach John Tortorella to a one-year contract extension through the 2018-19 National Hockey League season, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Monday. Since joining the club on Oct. 21, 2015, Tortorella has led the Blue Jackets to an 84-57-16 record and .586 points percentage.

“John Tortorella and his coaching staff have done a terrific job since his arrival nearly two years ago,” said Kekalainen. “He is one of the top coaches in our game and we are excited about what lies ahead for our club with John as our head coach.”

Tortorella won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year after leading the Blue Jackets to the best season in the club’s 17-year history last season. Columbus posted a 50-24-8 record and 108 points, which was the fourth-best record in the NHL and represented a 32-point turnaround from 2015-16. The Blue Jackets ranked second in the League in goals-against average (2.35 per game), sixth in goals-for (3.01), ninth-T in penalty killing (82.5 percent) and 12th in power play efficiency (19.9 percent). The club also boasted the third-best goal differential in the NHL at +54.

“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity I have to coach this team and be part of a wonderful community that has been very welcoming to my family, so I thank the McConnell family, Mike Priest, John Davidson, Jarmo Kekalainen, our staff and the entire organization,” said Tortorella. “I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken as a team and I look forward to continuing to work with a very good group of coaches and players.”

Tortorella became the sixth coach in NHL history to win multiple Jack Adams Awards as he previously won the award in 2003-04 after leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 46-22-14 record, Southeast Division title and a Stanley Cup championship. He was runner-up for the award in 2002-03 after guiding Tampa Bay to the first division title in club history with a 36-25-21 mark and in 2011-12 with the New York Rangers, whom he led to an Atlantic Division title with a 51-24-7 record.

On Dec. 18, 2016, Tortorella became the first U.S.-born coach and the 24th in NHL history to record 500 wins in a 4-3 overtime victory at Vancouver. The Boston native is the winningest U.S.-born coach in NHL history and has compiled a 530-432-131 record (.545) in 1,093 games with Columbus, Vancouver, NY Rangers and Tampa Bay.

Full and partial season tickets for the Blue Jackets’ 2017-18 campaign are currently available for purchase. Information on all ticketing options can be obtained by calling (800) NHL‐COLS or by visiting BlueJackets.com.

(Columbus Blue Jackets press release)