BROOKLYN, N.Y. — John Tortorella has a long history of coaching pro hockey players for the United States, dating to the 2005 World Championships.
He was an assistant for Team USA when it lost the gold medal to Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in one of the most memorable games in recent international hockey history.
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The Blue Jackets coach has no issue, however, with the NHL’s decision to keep its players out of the Winter Games for the first time since 1998. In fact, he said Tuesday pro athletes don’t belong in the Olympics.
“I am one of those believers — and I have coached in the Olympics — I think the Olympics is amateur,” Tortorella said when asked if he liked having the two-week shutdown the league has taken during past Winter Games. “I think it should be all amateur athletes. I know there is a lot of debate going back and forth (and) some might look at me and say, ‘What the hell are you talking about because you won’t have your best athletes.’ I have never felt the Olympics is about your best athletes.”
Tortorella’s opinion might ring true with some, but many NHL players have spoken out against the league’s decision to skip the Olympic tournament in South Korea, which begins this week. Blue Jackets defensemen Seth Jones, Zach Werenski and Jack Johnson all told The Athletic recently they wished the NHL had given players the opportunity to compete.
Jones and Werenski would have received strong consideration to play for Team USA. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, one of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey standouts, and winger Artemi Panarin likely would have received invites to play for the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) team.
This year’s tournament still features plenty of pros and former pros such as former Jackets defensemen James Wisniewski and Cody Goloubef. Many athletes competing in Summer and Winter Olympics are pros nowadays.
Tortorella, who coached Team USA at the 2016 World Cup, understands his opinion is probably in the minority, but that’s never stopped the coach from expressing his beliefs.
“I watch the Summer Olympics when they are on because I have time and we’re not in season,” Tortorella said. “The greatest part about the Olympics for me in the summer is listening to the stories of the grind they go through to find a way to get a sponsor. … That is the true essence of Olympics.
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“So, I am not for going to the Olympics as far as pro athletes. We have a bunch of money stuffed in our back pocket. We might go over and play for a few days here and there, but I don’t think it’s the true meaning of Olympics. You might disagree. A lot of people disagree with me, but I have always felt that way.”
Photo: John Tortorella (Bill Wippert/Getty Images)