John Tortorella Fined $30,000 By NHL For Remarks After Winter Classic
The NHL announced earlier that New York Rangers head coach, John Tortorella has been fined $30,000 for his comments against the officiating Monday night. Prior to today's fine, John Tortorella apologized on multiple outlets, and even planned to apologize to Dennis LaRue, and Ian Walsh in person.
Here is a short excerpt of John Tortorella's apology, "It was wrong with my sarcasm and frustration, and I apologize to everyone involved. I want to make sure that's straight. That was not my intent and I certainly handled it the wrong way."
In case you missed it, or didn't happen to catch the press conference here are the comments in which Tortorella was fined for:
Well I'm not sure if NBC got together with the refs, or what, to turn this into an overtime game. It started with the non-call on Gabby [Marian Gaborik], Gabby's walking in and he gets pitchforked in the stomach and then everything starts going against us.
They are two good referees and I thought the game was reffed horribly. So I'm not sure what happened there, maybe they wanted to get it to an overtime. I'm not sure if they have meetings about that or what. But we stood in there. Again, they are good guys, but I just thought tonight in that third period it was disgusting.
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Yeah, I know
I guess that’s what they mean when they say the truth hurts.
ian walsh: born and raised in philly. shouldnt the league do research on refs to prevent a biased official calling games? after every game i think the refs should have to write a report explaining every call and non call. as long as there is no accountability, games will never be called equally. its coming to the point where depite my love for the rangers, the league they play in is so corrupt its almost worth boycotting.
From what I understand refs actually do write reports on calls, but not on every one. Im sure there was a write up required on the penalty shot call.
I remember seeing that a girl, I think on the Dallas Stars SB Nation site, actually does write-ups on the refs. She tracks calls their notorious for making/not making, home vs. road bias, and lots of other stuff. If you can find some of the stuff it’s a pretty interesting read.
by Eastern Impact on Jan 4, 2012 9:03 PM EST up reply actions
With all the mustache you’ll ever need, the nightly ref report
6 p.m. weekday games are hard on my work schedule. Oh well, can’t please everyone.
No. 21 – Don Van Massenhoven – One of the wort skaters and positioners in the league, though he came up in an era where that was not nearly as important (think of the old-school defensemen versus the new ones). Allergic to paperwork calls, which include instigators and diving, and gets revenge matches because he takes no gruff. Some tendencies towards early control calls, home-team and trailing-team tilt but will definitely swallow in the third period. Moderate on the safety calls and shows up evenly around the league, often following grudge matches. Called his first NHL game in 1993 and has worked more than 100 Stanley Cup playoff games but never a final.
No. 29 – Ian Walsh – Slightly below average skater and average positioning, but mostly hampered by a below-average ability to read the play, which means the puck gets stuck in his skates a lot because he didn’t bail to the other side soon enough. Shows up throughout the league without a tendency towards one area of the country. Will definitely make early control and swallow in the third. Slight home-team tilt but no trailing team bias. Loose on safeties. Reffed his first NHL game in 2000 and starting to make his way into the playoff rotation. Still generally considered a "junior" ref for junior/senior pairings.
Walsh’s first Dallas game this season, Van Massenhoven’s second (4-3 SO loss against Toronto).
Follow me on Twitter @ErinB_DBD
by Erin Bolen on Dec 13, 2011 4:44 PM PST
Went back in my posts and found when I posted that, figured I’d post it here too. I’ll have to see if I can find more to read, I’d like to know about our refs going into each game.
by Eastern Impact on Jan 4, 2012 9:09 PM EST up reply actions
this is really good. No clue if its legit enough but it definitely seems to be
Take it to the net and keep jamming and jamming until somebody comes on you.
- Eddie Olczyk
by Scratch and Snif on Jan 4, 2012 9:36 PM EST up reply actions
If you search through some of her posts over there you’ll find more stuff. From what I saw her dad was a ref for a long time so I suppose that’s why she does this.
by Eastern Impact on Jan 4, 2012 9:46 PM EST up reply actions
If that's the worst he got...
then it’s also time to fire those refs as well to balance it out.
"Fart like a man! It's hockey!"
by Danz10 on Jan 4, 2012 9:08 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Pretty effin excessive if you ask me.
They can come up with any number of excuses to justify this fine, but that’s ego plain and simple. Its a statement – ‘no one can go up against the league, or question the league, or criticize the league in a public setting like that.’
He picked the worst game to go off. It’s the most important image game for the league, including the Cup playoffs. Not saying it’s fair.
I didn’t hear his quotes. Any chance he was more blunt because he’d gotten used to having the cameras following for the last month? Creates a slightly different reality around you.
/s, more often than not
by flyersfaninchicago on Jan 4, 2012 10:21 PM EST up reply actions
A bit ridiculous...
It seems that Torts must’ve hit a nerve judging by the size of that fine.
Homo homini lupus est - Human beings are wolves to each other
So um.
Does the NHL understand that this just makes them look worse??
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
it does seem
To draw more attention to the calls. The thing that kills me is that the media shoves a mic right in these guys’ faces and then goes crazy when something like this happens. The conspiracy talk was clearly hyperbole but it seems to be what got him in trouble. Speaking as just a fan who watched the game on tv, it was a good half an hour before I could even be just happy that they won. I can only imagine what was running through the coach’s mind.
by whypitythedead on Jan 4, 2012 9:55 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
If a coach makes a comment that are out of line and can be fined about it, and if a player makes contact with a player and steps out of line he can be fined and suspended over it, how come refs can officiate so terribly and not face any consequences.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Especially when the replays clearly show that there was no infractions on the calls that were made.
by Bryan Winters on Jan 4, 2012 10:02 PM EST up reply actions
The amount is just absurd
and hopefully everyone else will see that as well, and as Mike1967 says above, voice their criticism.
Best Rangers day: May 27, 1994
Worst Rangers day: April 10, 1984
by Stepan the Ice! on Jan 4, 2012 10:15 PM EST reply actions
and it’s really only $15K after taxes.
/s, more often than not
by flyersfaninchicago on Jan 4, 2012 10:22 PM EST up reply actions
He's not paying taxes on a fine.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
And that money is probably donated to a charity under Tort’s name. So it turns into a 15K tax write off!
by KingHenrik_theVIII on Jan 5, 2012 6:02 PM EST up reply actions
Appropriate for what he said. Criticizing the officiating is one thing, but any remarks, no matter how sarcastic, are going to draw the ire of the league, especially with everything else surrounding the classic. There was a better way to approach it, but Torts has a short fuse and a penchant for running off at the mouth.
It’s actually 20k less than the LA Kings GM got earlier this year, so I’d say he got off easy all things considered. I just hope it doesn’t affect our games down the road in terms of officiating and potential league review situations.
The comments were warranted because of the officiating.
If the officiating was fair, and the league didn’t have a history of terrible officiating game in and game out, they wouldn’t have to worry about GMs/Coaches making these types of comments.
Tell me, if Torts can be suspended for his actions, why are the refs not punished for egregious errors during the NHLs most watched game of the year?
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Pure BS what a shame.. Geez with those 30 g’s most of life’s problems fizzle away.. Throw me 30k NHL!! Anyway, what can ya do? Write a complaint to the NHL? Won’t do any good, we won the game end of story.
by ImMike88 on Jan 4, 2012 10:26 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Kudos to torts for speaking the truth, the NHL should be pissed because this is not the first time this sort of officiating debacle happened and what makes this all really shitty is that Torts appologized, he should have just let it ride. Because now he backed down. The F will be on for the next few games, no doubt.
Absolute Worst Ranger Fan!!!!!!....yet incredibly realistic and usually correct.
Bleacher Report
Here’s an interesting article over at Bleacher Report about the Tort’s apology: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1010220-ny-rangers-tortorella-apologizes-for-remarks-should-have-received-a-medal
Homo homini lupus est - Human beings are wolves to each other
Kerry Fraser certainly made it better by saying all of the calls were right. what a surprise. notice also that none of this is getting any air. post game remarks were completely devoid of any mention of the calls. that comes from the league, it has to. that also shows the league doesn’t want any negative publicity. the fine is really the first public mention (that i’ve seen) about the issue.
new game tomorrow.
Shoot the puck Barry!!!
kerry “completely unbiased except when the other team is NYR” fraser’s opinion definitely matters to me haha.
what a toolshed.
This whole thing would have really taken off if 2 things happened.
1. Torts doesn’t gin up any conspiracy theory ideas, however sarcastic they might be, but criticizes the officiating as a whole, for both teams (however asinine anybody thinks that to be, it was bad both ways).
2. Laviolette has to do the same thing, especially about the sight-of-puck whistles, but even mention how some of the calls that went against the Rangers near the end seemed ‘suspect’ no matter how much he didn’t believe they were.
Both coaches doing it without any ‘conspiracy theory’ or agenda crapola and you have yourself a shit-storm that the league can’t sweep under the rug or throw out a few fines to hush people.
He probably would have the 77% save percentage just standing there, as much net as he covers.
PRUSTOSTERONE!!!
"Stepan, step in, step out" Timothy Leary
Scott Gomez, the gift that keeps on giving!
by nathansfamous on Jan 5, 2012 4:05 AM EST up reply actions
Saw parts of the game, when I was watching, Boston did not look like they were terribly outplaying them. As soon as I turned it off , then on again, Bostong had already scored.
PRUSTOSTERONE!!!
"Stepan, step in, step out" Timothy Leary
Scott Gomez, the gift that keeps on giving!
by nathansfamous on Jan 5, 2012 4:04 AM EST up reply actions
Worse officiating than the old timers game
I didn’t even know Torts spouted off, but figured he would. I was pissed the whole night even though the Rangers won the classic. Every time I looked up the Flyers were doing something illegal that wasn’t being called. I guess they figured with the refs not calling anything all bets were off. McDonagh could’ve suffered 3 different concussions in that game with all the high hits they put on him. And what ever happened to the penalty called CHARGING. It seems that one is completely forgotten about. They used to say if the guy takes more than 3 strides into the hit, it’s a charging penatly. The flyers were taking 6…7…8 strides and going 30mph into hits. And they wonder why there’s a concussion problem. The flyers were playing just plain dirty all night and nothing at all was being called. Torts was right, it was disgusting.
'Cause Brawndo's got electrolyes....
Bad officiating? Yes.
But we won the game. Just keep it to yourself Torts
by Guess Who's Back? on Jan 4, 2012 10:55 PM EST reply actions
That’s horrible reasoning.
Yes, we won. But that’s no reason to not speak out about these kinds of thing.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
This was a totally stupid PR move by the league. Maybe they felt Torts pissed on their post-game parade on Monday… but they themselves just took a hairy fat wet dump on their entire event by fining him 30 large two days after the fact. People will be talking about the fine and the suspect calls right through the weekend… instead of what was otherwise an awesome game.
Bettman = genius. Next thing you know, he’ll want to put a team in Arizona.
Have another doughnut
Good for Torts. I know he respects the refs and everything, but he was correct to tell them they sucked. Screw the NHL, they love Crosby, Ovechkin and they are hiding behind these two guys. They wanted the Flyers to win in their home ballpark.
You watch if the Rangers will get their winter classic if it is at Yankee Stadium, because they will find a way to tell the refs to make all calls against us so the road team will win.
by NYR #35 Richter on Jan 4, 2012 11:36 PM EST reply actions
Great for Torts, terrible for the league.
By doing this they are bringing more attention to the calls, and just appear more corrupt.
More people are talking about the calls and the assault after the game than they are about the actual game, and the NHL did it to themselves.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
well..
noone on tv is talking about the calls only about the fine. NHL channel showed an edited video of his comments (only the critical ones), which made it seem worse. and then comment how the fine is appropriate when you question the integrity of THE LEAGUE. no replays.
the games i’ve been watching, between periods they have talked about how great the game was and how exciting the penalty shot made the game, but nothing about the calls (or the fine).
i wonder what 24/7 will be like and if it will include the fine.
nothing will come of this, there are bad calls in many games, it is what it is. what i like about this team is that they seem to not let things bother them too much. hope they maintain that attitude.
Shoot the puck Barry!!!
Torts gained a lot of new fans. Feel the love in the comments http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=384232
Hockey Night in Canada
The announcers on Hockey Night in Canada were much more expressive in their opinions of the calls. Also seeing Cally’s and Tort’s reaction was awesome, which I didn’t think was in the other feed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlL_kDIJ5oM&feature=channel_video_title
ref's should be called out
Did Torts step over the line with his comments? Yes he did. The officiating was horrible but Torts was wrong to make public speculation about a conspiracy. I think he was right to say the calls were bad. On the other side, Torts was called out for his comments by the league with the fine. Then the league should publicly say the ref’s got it wrong. The only time I remember the league criticize the league was several years ago after a game at the Garden against Ottawa. The Rangers came back from a 5-0 deficit to 5-4. The Rangers were pressing and Ottawa put one over the glass that should have been a penalty but the ref’s conferred and didn’t call it. After the game the league publicly said the ref’s “blew the call”. I respected the league for the statement. In the MCD delay of game penalty a replay clearly shows the ref’s “blew it” again. The league should step up to the plate again. The replays of the other blown calls don’t show conclusively that the Puck wasn’t covered by MCD’s hand or doesn’t show Caly’s intent of self-preservation so I can see why the league doesn’t comment on those.
by PureBlue on Jan 5, 2012 2:41 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I’m not a conspiracy guy…
But if the officials did there job or if the league made a comment that the officiating was terrible towards the end of the game, then this wouldn’t be an issue.
The fact that the officiating was so bad that a conspiracy was even considered speaks more to the absolute disgusting officiating by the refs and the NHLs failure to do anything about it than anything else.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Ranger fans beat in Phily
Anyone see the ESPN article stating two fans wearing Rangers jerseys were beat by three fans wearing Flyers jerseys after the Winter Classic in Phily outside a cheesesteak restaurant? We don’t need another reason Hate the Flyers.
by PureBlue on Jan 5, 2012 3:04 AM EST via mobile reply actions
He was an Iraqi War Vet with a Purple Heart. Just some drunk scumbag Flyer Fans.
PRUSTOSTERONE!!!
"Stepan, step in, step out" Timothy Leary
Scott Gomez, the gift that keeps on giving!
by nathansfamous on Jan 5, 2012 4:09 AM EST up reply actions
Not hockey related..........
In Fla here, last week, we had a Marine Vet. come back from numerous tours over seas. He tried to dig up some extra cash, so he attempted to sell some gold, on Craig’s list. He got robbed and shot, trying to raise some extra cash to buy his family some extra presents for the holidays. Just some crazy shit. BTW, he did survive, he plugged the worst gunshots with his fingers, after he checked up on his kids. Did I mention he had his family in the car when he was robbed? Gd Bless him, and all of you who sacrifice protecting us and our country. Thank you!
Hope our fellow Ranger fan gets well soon. He is a veteran with two tours and a Purple Heart, and he is a police officer.
PRUSTOSTERONE!!!
"Stepan, step in, step out" Timothy Leary
Scott Gomez, the gift that keeps on giving!
by nathansfamous on Jan 5, 2012 4:22 AM EST up reply actions
I’m angry as all hell over this, and have a good mind to go there, find the !#$%&&#s, and gut them like fish.
Yellow bastards.
"Fart like a man! It's hockey!"
by Danz10 on Jan 5, 2012 10:03 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yes, there were bad calls for both sides, but it was the timing of the bad calls against the Rangers that hurt.
BTW, I figured Torts got fined Ten Grand for each of the last three bad calls. That REALLY blows. I bet that is how they came up with the figure. How many egregious calls went against the Rangers the last several minutes? Three. Ten grand a piece, case closed.
I respect Torts for saying what he said. He knew he was going to suffer some disciplinary action and some bad publicity. But like a good Dad, he stood up for his boys in Red, White, and BLUE, and he said what was on everyone’s mind. I salute him for standing up to the man. Occupy NHL next week. LGR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PRUSTOSTERONE!!!
"Stepan, step in, step out" Timothy Leary
Scott Gomez, the gift that keeps on giving!
THE TIME IS NOW.
This is what The Hockey Rodent had to say about Tort’s fine:
“When our boys risk noggin’ and limb to block a 100-MPH slapper for us, we’ve got their backs. When the zebræ tilt the ice against us, we’ve got their backs. And when someone with authority has the courage to take a stand and tell the press exactly what we were all thinking about the decisions of Ian Walsh and Dennis Larue during Period 3, well… John Tortorella needs to know we’ve got his back. He spoke for us as well as his minions. "
He’s putting together a paypal account for donations. If all of us chip in a buck, we can send the appropriate message.
FYI: Sather, MSG, cannot defray Torts’s fine. They can’t pay it, on account of league rules. Further, it’s as likely Torts won’t personally be able to accept any such donation from us, either. But worse-case-scenario, the money goes to charity, and YOUR VOICE IS HEARD.
Whatever went down that third period, it was, very much, disgusting.
Let’s get Torts’ back for saying what we were all thinking.
href=“http://www.hockeyrodent.com/R2488.HTM” target="new">
Exactly.
Well said B&B. Maybe not the best time for Torts to say something but regardless… it had to be said!! One can’t help but wonder what the hell was going on, especially in the 3rd. EVERYONE in the NHL is expected to be accountable for their actions… so why not the refs?? I’m more of a Torts fan, than a Rags fan… but glad the better team won. Well done.
$30,000 well worth it.
"WINGnut--BOLThead"
Let's GO..Wings, Tigers, Lions, Wolverines (oh my!) & Bolts!!!! (RIP Cory Smoot aka Flattus Maximus of GWAR)
by Let's JOE WINGS-BOLTS on Jan 5, 2012 10:22 AM EST up reply actions
Not impressed with the term "rags"
Thanks for the support but that’s derrogatory and I don’t think any of us appreciate its use. Certainly not me.
I have to say --whaaaa what is the NHL, a police state?
that was some poor crap officiating and I am certain the refs were giving the fithlers every chance to win. there were some obvious penalties the team in orange got away with…and that penalty shot was more than questionable.
thank goodness the good guys won the Classic.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
It's Quite Possible . . .
. . . that Torts only apologized under the threat of a suspension. If Campbell told him, “Save our face — now! — or you’ll serve five games,” the coach couldn’t bear to leave his players. Certainly not with all the momentum the team has.
Is Torts really, truly sorry for what he said? I don’t think so.
Pretty sure
Torts would do anything.. not to hurt the team.
"WINGnut--BOLThead"
Let's GO..Wings, Tigers, Lions, Wolverines (oh my!) & Bolts!!!! (RIP Cory Smoot aka Flattus Maximus of GWAR)
by Let's JOE WINGS-BOLTS on Jan 5, 2012 10:24 AM EST up reply actions
If 24/7 on HBO does not comment on any of those terrible calls in the last 5 minutes.
I will never watch HBO again in my life.
if they try to sweep this under the rug like the entire nhl is doing after airing that “typical montreal” debacle they will just have blown their integrity all in one fail swoop.
Cover up.....
HBO will not touch the bad calls in the wrap up show….the NHL wants to sweep this under the rug like it never happened. Sad way to end a very good game, Bettman should resign, NBC should allow ESPN to cover the games again and Flyer fans sure came away looking like the scum of the Earth.
They did in the Flyer/MTL game
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
The truth hurts. I think most of us were thinking exactly what Torts ended up articulating as we watched the disgraceful last few minutes of this “game”.
The Rangers players should backup their coach behind the scenes and each throw him a grand to show their support for the comments he made, which were DEAD ON.
I really am so proud of our coach guys.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
????
1. NHL blows calls
2. Torts calls them out
3. ????
4. Profit
by Section 336 on Jan 5, 2012 2:52 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Welcome to how Canucks fans feel
Imagine if you’d seen this go down in Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Final. Torts just needs to learn to do it how Gillis did: “Our team is built to win based off of the modern rulebook.” Of course, Gillis also got fined several times during last year’s run so it took him a few tries to figure out what he can and can’t say.
The key to winning in the NHL is to be in a big TV market but one where Hockey doesn’t get good ratings. Case in point: Chicago and Boston. Vancouver and the Rangers have huge TV ratings and guaranteed ticket sales so the best we fans can ever hope for are to be allowed to play in the big game — never win it.
Yup
Here’s hoping we get that again this year. I love watching games where my team wins no matter who wins. Lol.
Rulebook or not, Canucks let themselves get pushed around and physically dominated. You got crushed in Boston and barely eeked out wins in your home arena. You’re seriously calling conspiracy against the officiating for that?
Makes a great reason to riot I guess.
Did you watch the officiating that series, especially game 7, or not?
It was disgusting.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Pittsburgh too! They only get ratings when they win.
Shit, they only have fans when they win.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Tortorella should get a medal!!!
Not a fine!!! He spoke the truth. When he stated he damaged the rep of the league he couldn’t have been more wrong!! The league embarrasses itself once again with blatant favoritism and corruption!! Could they have made it any more obvious what they were trying to do?? If that isn’t the case, then those officials should be immediately fired for utter incompetence!!!
Exactly. Either…
a) the refs were told to get the game into overtime
or
b) they literally have no idea how to officiate the game of hockey
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!

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