Patrik Laine Exposes What John Tortorella Told Him When They First Met Each Other
It wasn't exactly the kind of moment you would expect between two people meeting for the first time in a while, but things got awkward between Laine and Tortorella.
John Tortorella isn't exactly the type of coach most players become familiar with, as he seems to have a rather short fuse at times, along with some strange methods.
Patrik Laine says Tortorella didn't even look at him and say hello
Therefore, Patrik Laine did have some stories to tell in an interview with the Spittin' Chiclets podcast about now-former coach John Tortorella and their first meeting, a meeting he doesn't remember. Tortorella didn't even say hello, according to Laine.
- Patrik Laine
It took only three games into his Blue Jackets career for Laine to be benched after he did not respond as hoped by his coach. That's when he found out that playing for Tortorella came with toeing the line to his high standards.
The circumstances in Columbus were less than ideal for Laine, either. He scored just 21 points on 10 goals in his first 45 games with the club.
It got better with time, though. In 2021-22, Laine was averaging a point per game, 56 points in 56 games, and carried the pace into 2022-23 (52 points in 55 games).
To Laine, however, individual statistics took a backseat to wins, and those were something the team just could not seem to scrape together.
For now, it would seem Laine is finding his groove in Montreal. He's meshing with his new linemates, the fans are very receptive, and he's making the most of his second opportunity.
After everything that he's gone through the last couple of years, that's well deserved. As for Tortorella, his hard-nosed approach won't be for everyone, but boy, is it ever memorable, just ask Laine.
