Quick, meet John Tortorella.
In his first season as a Ranger assistant coach, the 41-year old Tortorella was tabbed as the interim head coach yesterday, a day after John Muckler was canned by Garden president Dave Checketts.
Unless the Rangers win their final four games, sneak into the playoffs and win the Stanley Cup, Tortorella will most likely be replaced during the summer.
Not that he wanted to discuss his situation yesterday.
“This isn’t about me, it’s about the organization right now,” Tortorella said. “Let’s face it. We’ve had some embarrassing outings. We just want as a staff to try to get the guys to compete.”
Tortorella came to the Rangers after serving as an assistant with the Coyotes for the past two seasons. He had been a finalist for the Coyotes’ head job that went to Bob Francis.
Prior to his Phoenix stint, the Boston-area native had been working in the Sabres’ organization for eight years, during which he coached under Muckler.
His head coaching experience came in the minors–two seasons with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, during which he won the Calder Cup championship. He also spent two years as the GM and coach of the Virginia Lancers of the ACHL.
Tortorella played at Salem State College and the University of Maine before a stint in Sweden and with three ACHL teams.
With four games to prove himself, Tortorella said he wants “to salvage something out of the season.”