John Tortorella doesn't usually pull any punches.
But the fired Lightning coach didn't give any straight answers yesterday when it came to discussing the various NHL job openings in Ottawa, Toronto, San Jose, Atlanta and Florida.
Tortorella, who has one season left on his contract, wants to return next season, he maintained he's in no position to publicly dictate that he'd like the chance to coach the Senators, Leafs, Sharks or even the lowly Thrashers or Panthers.
However, Tortorella, who led the Bolts to a Stanley Cup in 2004, did make it clear if anybody wants to talk, he'll be willing to listen.
"Who the hell am I? That's the way I put to you," said Tortorella, speaking on a conference call. "There are some great coaches who want to coach in this league that haven't had the opportunity. I feel very funny in answering a question about whether I am going to pick or choose. I don't look at it that way.
"I want to work. I want to get back. It's the greatest job in the world, working in the NHL. Head coach ... whatever it may be. I don't know how to approach this situation. I've never really done it before. I'm not going to bang on the phone or meet with people. I hope that I have an opportunity to talk to some people. Then, we'll see what happens from there. Building a team is exciting, but winning a Stanley Cup was pretty cool, too. Each situation that comes around, I'm going to talk and see where it goes."
Senators GM Bryan Murray told Sun Media last month that he would speak to four or five candidates for the club's vacant coaching job. As reported last week, he's already spoken with former Atlanta coach Bob Hartley and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds coach Craig Hartsburg.
DEBOER INTERVIEWED
Murray had Kitchener Rangers coach Peter DeBoer in for an interview yesterday. DeBoer, considered by many insiders to be the best coach not in the NHL, could also draw interest from the Thrashers.
A league executive told Sun Media yesterday that "it would be hard to believe" Murray would pass on the opportunity to speak to Tortorella.
Tortorella can be overbearing, but he'd make players like Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley accountable, the same way he pushed Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and ex-Bolt Brad Richards during his seven years in Tampa.
"I don't believe anybody is above the team," said Tortorella, sounding like he was describing the Senators' situation. "It's not about treating anybody differently, it's just making sure everybody knows that there is nobody above the team. I think sometimes I get this reputation that I am some sort of lunatic who kicks the hell out of people.
"You can throw the X's and O's and all the meetings and all that other stuff out the window if there isn't accountability within your room. If the people in the room don't see the accountability for that person in that corner and the other person in another corner, then you don't have a locker room.
HAPPINESS IS WINNING
"You don't win until your locker room is straightened out. That's why the whole thing with me is accountability. That has to be instilled. I'm not too interested in making everybody happy. To make everybody happy, you win."
Tortorella admitted he doesn't have a relationship with Murray.
"I've coached against Bryan," said Tortorella. "I don't know him that well."
Asked if he could work for Murray, Tortorella said: "I don't know him. I've got to leave it at that. I'm not going to answer questions (on specific situations) because I don't think it's fair to me or anybody else to talk about jobs because there may be someone else. I don't want to do it that way and I think it's wrong to talk about jobs publicly."
