Tortorella Fined $30,000
Update, 11:20 p.m.:Here's the NHL's official statement on the Torts fine...
"There is no acceptable explanation or excuse for commentary challenging the integrity of the League, its officials or its broadcast partners," said NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. "People can disagree with calls by officials on the ice, but even in instances of the utmost frustration there is no justification for speaking as inappropriately and irresponsibly as Mr. Tortorella did."
...you mean no acceptable explanation other than he was 100% correct.
Update, 7:56 p.m.:
Darren Dreger reports Tortorella was fined $30,000 for his comments.
...that is beyond obscene. Joke.
Update, 12:52 p.m.:
Rick Carpiniello reports that Tortorella will be fined, not suspended by the NHL. Amount has not been announced.
Here's Torts apologizing for his comments (via Rangers Twitter)...
"I tainted the (Winter) Classic with my mouth..it was a first-class event"
Torts added he was "frustrated" & "sarcastic" about calls at end.
Torts says he will speak to the refs in person to apologize, but has "called everyone involved" including Flyers GM Paul Holmgren to ask for forgiveness.
...so let me get this straight, the refs almost ruin Winter Classic weekend and Torts is apologizing. Wonderful.
Original Post:
Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record reports that John Tortorella's post Winter Classic conspiracy theory rant on the game's awful officiating has most likely earned him a meeting with NHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell today.
Gross fees that a fine in the $10,000 range may be forthcoming.
Here's what Tortorella said Monday night...
"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 Gaby's, and he gets pitchforked in the stomach and everything starts going against us. So for two good refs, I thought the game was reffed horribly. So I'm not sure what happened there. Maybe they wanted to get into overtime. I'm not sure if they had meetings about that or what. But we stood in there. We stood in there. And again, I don't want to—because they are good guys. I just thought tonight, it was—in that third period, it was disgusting."
For video of Torts' comments click here.
...i understand that showing up the refs is pretty much an automatic fine in any sport, but it's disgraceful that Bettman nor anyone at the NHL has publicly apologized to the Rangers for officiating that nearly cost them the game.
...let's hope the Dolans do the right thing and pay the fine for Torts. Because he had every right to question the integrity of the NHL.
Larry Brooks at the New York Post has more.
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Dolan should come out pay it then he should give betman the finger after he signs the check
@thenyrblog As much as I dislike him it amazes me how it become politically incorrect to speak the truth
If you are interested in standing behind Torts with a small donation from a reputable source, Hockey Rodent will have this set up at some point today (Thursday) at: http://hockeyrodent.com/R2488.HTM
Kev, I'm not sure if you were planning on doing something as well, but if you wanted to bring attention to something that is in the works, this would be a good one.
As an FYI, the, "John Tortorella, We've Got Your Back Fund" is now started with a $2 set donation amount as it's more about the quantity of people than the dollar amount.
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$30K seems like a bargain for calling out the obvious. Nice work Torts! I'm sure every player in the Rangers locker room (and probably the Flyer's too) thought the ref was giving the advantage to the Flyers, but Torts probably decided to take the bullet so none of his players had to come out and say it. So Laviolette can say the same stuff in Montreal on 24/7, but nothing happens, but Torts states the obvious and gets fined. Any explanation for that Campbell?? Or perhaps for the justification of the McDonagh interference call, or the Gaborik non-call on a break-away? Now I hope more than ever that the Rangers win the Cup at the Garden so Bettman has to stand in front of the fans and get his ass booed for the first time in history as he stand next to the Cup!
With the team performing as well as they are, the last thing Tortorella wants to do is create enemies in the league office and amongst the officials. Always toe the company line, take your lumps and look forward to a bright future, regardless of how right you may be.
Besides, God forbid they see the Penguins in the playoffs, the NYR fan conspiracy theories would never end.
Always hard to know what we would do in a similar situation, but it would have been interesting if Torts forced the league's hand on this one. Not that two wrongs make a right, but the officiating was beyond belief.
@thenyrblog i dont know why they hates the new york rangers?everybody can do anything except the rangers
the fine seems kinda huge, but c'mon, they suggested the game was fixed. the NHL isn't a democracy, you can't say stuff like that.
Challenging the integrity of the leage? There has been little to no integrity lately in the NHL. Its all about appealing to a wider audience and getting ratings. The WC was 100% proof that ratings matter than the integrity of the game.
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they call 30k a fine?more like a mortgage. cause someone who is so into the game spoke out about something obvious? I dont call that a fine I call that a cover up.
$30,000!?!?! That's more disgusting than the officiating in the classic! Gary Bettmans nhl is a joke..
@ATCRyan It must be because Tortorella 'insulted' the league and NBC on NBC's big day. Ya know, launching (renaming) a sports network the same day a coach accuses them of working to fix the result of a big game.
@thenyrblog shameful. These leagues are a dictatorship of "do what I say or else" mentality. There's nothing we can do about it either
Oh my god. $30,000.00 for questioning the officiating in THAT game. Unbelievable.
You know what ruined the vibe of the game for me?? The officiating, not Torts. I was infuriated at the end of that game. The fact that the Rangers won didn't even matter. I guess Tortorella didn't get the memo that the Winter Classic is about ratings, not so much about hockey.
That said, someone asked him a question during the same press conference about whether he would like to see his team in the Classic in the future. Tortorella shouldn't want to be involved again after that fiasco. Shame on the NHL.
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They should fine Mike Milbury for calling the Rangers the Broadway BlueShits! Cursed in front of a HUGE TV audience.
Correct fine amount is 30K. Sheesh. Hopefully this is the end of it and the refs don't make the Rangers pay during games.
Holy crap... $50K?? Seems extreme to me... Especially given the lengthy apology. Can he retract his mea culpa??
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Pay the fine move on, sometimes ya gotta say things that will land you in trouble so what! Go Torts!
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The team should pass around the Broadway hat and help pay for the fine. He spoke the truth and defended the team and the sport. In fact, next game let's give Torts the hat!
ugh, this really galls me. Rangers fans have to put up with Flyer-fest all weekend and have to win against both the other team AND the officials, Torts tells it like it is, and HE'S the one who's got to go around with his head down? Infuriating.
Their only going to fine Tortorella? What about the CBC broadcasters that criticized the calls during the game? What about fining Callahan whos dangerous actions got a stick blade off of his neck? What out McD who delayed the game by being checked into the net? How about the cameramen who shot the footage containing proof of what was going on on the ice?
If their going to punish Tortorella, and make him apologize, finish the job NHL!
@thenyrblog Torts is the man. Called it like we all saw it. 'course he has to apologize, or risk being suspended, & that would hurt the team
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Torts fined??? This is an outrage!!! The Ref's should be fined and suspended. Did Colin Campbell not see the replay? The money the NHL collects should buy the refs GLASSES!!!
@thenyrblog It's BS! I hate defending Torts, but honestly, I agreed with his comments then and I still feel he was right.
@thenyrblog He didnt taint the winter classic, the refs did. But the rangers would have picked up the fine tab anyway. Sather talked too
So Torts' fine could be in the ballpark of $10,000, yet Kopecky was only fined $2500 for his sucker punch on MDZ? What a joke. How can the NHL expect anyone to take them seriously?
I say we Rangers fans need to set up a find and contribute a few dollars towards the fine, to show our support for Torts!!
I absolutely agree with you there! From the get go, the whole EVENT was slanted towards the Flyers, from the coverage on pre game to the practice coverage to the game coverage. I could not believe how PRO FLYERS everyone was....it was frustrating to only hear the praise of Flyers and Jagr and Giroux and the whole goalie controversy, which was a farce. Gotta wonder if that wasn't played up to provide more ratings. The officiating was a disgrace. And meant to try to get the Flyers to win. GO TORTS! He has the cajones to say it like it was meant to be said!
@thenyrblog do u really expect nhl 2 apologize? Would we have the same conspiracy theory if nyr was playing another team not nbccomcast fam?
@thenyrblog @NHL Torts is usaully pretty good about that stuff. Couldn't hold it in. Oh well money will go to good cause hopefully.
