From no offers to game winner, Torres has re-established himself.
VANCOUVER — It was only eight months ago, in Penticton B.C.
Raffi Torres, an eight-year National Hockey League veteran, was skating in a prospects tournament full of junior-eligible kids from five different organizations.
He was a 28-year-old at the "Young Stars" rookie tournament, feeling like grandpa at The Roxy. The 5th overall draft choice in 2000 unpacked his hockey bag down the hall from Edmonton’s Taylor Hall, the No. 1 overall selection a full decade later.
Motivated? This was "next stop — the KHL" country for Torres.
"Signing a one-year deal for not too much cake ($1 million)," he said that September day, "it’s kind of like, ‘OK, if you don’t have a great year (this season), now you’re on the outs looking in.’
"It’s really up to me on how my future is going to pan out."
Fast forward now, to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final.
That guy against the boards, the one you can barely spot beneath a pile of jubilant teammates? That’s Raffi Torres.
And those other 29 National Hockey League general managers? They might even return his agent’s call this summer.
"He made the same decision I made: You want to be known as a winner,"
began Jeff Tambellini, a fourth-line winger who also showed up here in Vancouver last September — but at training camp — looking to add some value to what has been a decent career thus far.
In Torres, Tambellini saw a guy who had built himself a brand during an excellent ’06 Stanley Cup run with the Edmonton Oilers, but then found himself watching the 2010 playoffs from the Buffalo Sabres press box. Torres had become a healthy scratch during what was supposed to be his signature time of year.
Spec on Torres (from September 28, 2010): Canucks' pet project | Read
Torres sat around through the free agent signing season, and as July turned to August, his asking price and term eventually plummeted to a point where the reward outweighed the risk for the Canucks.
"You know, it was a long summer," Torres said. "Obviously the phone wasn't ringing off the hook. But everything happens for a reason."
The reason, perhaps, was that Torres needed to be reunited with a winner. Let’s face it: his most valuable moments came as the Oilers marched towards the Cup. Torres needed a winning organization, Tambellini figures, to give him the platform to re-establish that brand.
"Was this the easiest lineup to crack? No," said Tambellini. "Are you going to get the most ice time? Not a chance. But when you’re offered this opportunity, how do you turn it down?
"Now you could have a Stanley Cup. Now you’ve played in two Finals. People want that."
And as much as Torres knew he had to take this career rehab project one game, one goal, and one vicious hit at a time, he also knew he was on a one-year deal. If he failed again this season, he’d be looking at a two-way deal this coming summer — or worse.
When you are 28, and NHL team No. 5 does not work out, there is no guarantee that team No. 6 won’t end up being Mettalurg, or Lokomotiv of the KHL.
"I’ve tried everything in my power to put (last summer) behind me," he said. "Had some great support along the way … just in a very fortunate situation right now. For a chance to reach our ultimate goal, which is winning the Stanley Cup, it's been quite a ride."
Have a question for Mark Spector? | Chat live with him Friday at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. PT
We spoke with a couple of hockey people Thursday who confirmed that the innuendo of a party lifestyle always dogged Torres. And when your play slips as his did over the past few seasons, that perception slowly becomes entrenched throughout hockey circles as fact.
You can be a bad guy and find work if you score 40 goals a year. If you’re a third-liner, and GMs aren’t sure you will be a positive influence on the rest of the roster, it’s tough.
In Vancouver, GM Mike Gillis knew he had a stable enough room and strong enough leadership to take a $1 million gamble on a guy who could be impactful during a long playoff run.
"Surely we knew we were getting a very motivated player," said head coach Alain Vigneault. "One of the things that we did as soon as we met Raffi, Mike and I, was to tell him he had a clean slate. Just come here and work hard, play to his strengths.
"We know Raffi sometimes plays a little bit outside the box, but you’ve got to let him go to his strengths."
His strengths are speed, decent hands, and that constant threat Torres poises when he’s on the ice.
"When he hits guys he goes right through them. That’s how he’s knocking down guys like Doug Murray and Joe Thornton," said Tambellini. "He hits to hurt. There are some guys in this league who just hit. This guy? When he’s coming into the corner after you, defencemen are bailing on the puck because that know that, if he gets you clean, you’re in big trouble."
The old Raffi Torres is back. Back from the brink, you might say.
