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When the opening period of the NHL opened on Sunday, veteran defender Jack Johnson replaced the squads of the Metropolitan Division, ranging from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The move seemed to anger many people, and both sides, but perhaps none is more fiercely irritated than the former Johnson coach in John Tortorella.
The Penguins and GM Jim Rutherford faced a backfire from the Pittsburgh faithful following the signing. Many Penguins fans are not thrilled with the commitment (five years and $ 16.25 million) for Johnson, 31, who has had his share of struggles on the blue line over the years. Johnson spent seven years in Columbus and his tenure did not really end gloriously; He did well in the loss to the Capitals in the playoffs of the first round of the Blue Jackets.
Rutherford and Johnson's comments in an introductory press conference downplayed Johnson's difficulties in Columbus and left a glimpse of a toxic culture within the Blue Jackets organization. Rutherford said Johnson was stricken for reasons out of the performance, and said Johnson chose Pittsburgh because he "seeks to be in a winning culture."
These comments have infuriated Tortorella, who has been behind the Columbus bench since 2015 Tortorella has a well-deserved reputation for being loud and outspoken, and he has not hesitated to respond to Johnson's demands and to Rutherford Sunday
"All I know is that this organization The lawyers, the front office, JD (John Davidson), the managers, the coaches, the players … have nothing other than trying to help Jack, "Tortorella told The Athletic. "And for him to pat us back we slap like he's whole bulls, and he should know better." 19659002 "Nobody wants something bad to happen to him and his family, we wish him the best, but for him, as he said today, that is the bull." for a general manager to question our decision-making at three hours distance, he must be a magician. "
Tortorella made a point of mentioning the problems that Johnson has been dealing with on the ice during his career.
The defenseman, who was chosen in the third choice in 2005, declared bankruptcy in 2014 because of reckless spending by his parents after signing his first major professional contract – a $ 30.5 million seven years with the Los Angeles Kings – Johnson gave his parents control of his finances, and they accumulated mbadive debts that forced Johnson to liquidate a number of badets, including two houses.
Despite his lucrative salary, Johnson was forced To give up most of his winnings in recent seasons to pay off the debt
Tortorella seemed particularly upset by Johnson's thankless attitude toward the support the Blue Jackets showed him. Meanwhile,
"That's what pisses me off," he said. "He does not have enough balls to remind me, because I tried to contact him.You do not work on an organization that has not done anything but try to help you.We know all that Jack had some problems along the way.It is very well documented.Everything we have done, is to try to help him.
"J & # 39; love the guy f – g (Johnson). I had it in the Olympic team. I have it on the World Cup team. I like the guy. But for him, it's ridiculous. After Tortorella's diatribe, Johnson, who served as deputy captain during his tenure in Columbus, retracted his comments, saying that he had no intention for them. be interpreted as an insult to the organization of the Blue Jackets. He tried to clear things up in a response to The Athletic.
"I did not want it in any way, shape or form as a setback to Columbus," said Johnson The Athletic . "It's just that … Pittsburgh has won two (Stanley) Cups in the last three years, and there's a winning culture out there." I did not want to insult the Blue Jackets at all. "
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" When I arrived in Columbus (2012), I was eager to help create a winning culture, to help build it, "he said. said. "I had a wonderful time in Columbus, I met my wife there, I started a family there, nothing but good friends and good relationships there." I believe that they have a winning culture out there, all I wanted to say is that I'm delighted to be part of Pittsburgh's winning culture. "It may have to be make an effort to explain again once the steam stops falling on Tortorella's ears. [ad_2]
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