Tortorella, Canucks meet about head coach job

John Tortorella, who led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup victory in 2004, is the new head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

John Tortorella could be heading from one high-expectations hockey market to another.

The former New York Rangers head coach flew to Vancouver and met with Canucks brass Tuesday regarding the team’s coaching vacancy, Sportsnet sources have confirmed.

Tortorella was fired after his New York Rangers were eliminated in five games by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the NHL playoffs. The 54-year-old Boston native registered a 171-115-29 record with the Rangers since joining the team partway through the 2008-09 campaign. Tortorella’s Rangers reached the Eastern Conference final in 2012, but they bowed out to the New Jersey Devils.

Tortorella, who led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup victory in 2004, is also being courted by the Dallas Stars.

Prior to meeting with Tortorella, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis had also interviewed Dallas Eakins, who was officially announced as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers Monday, and spoken with former Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan.

Former Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault, meanwhile, is a frontrunner for Tortorella’s vacant seat as the Rangers head coach.

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