John Tortorella's already hot seat may be scalding just one day after the Vancouver Canucks fired general manager and president Mike Gillis with the team failing to make the playoffs, leading to speculation that the team may fire its head coach after just one year behind the bench.
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Gillis was named GM of the Year after leading the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011, a series in which they blew 2-0 and 3-2 series leads to fall to the Boston Bruins.
The Canucks released an official statement about firing Gillis, who seemed uncertain about his future with the team last week.
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"On behalf of my entire family, I would like to sincerely thank Mike Gillis for his hard work and the many contributions he made on and off the ice during his tenure," said Francesco Aquilini, Chairman, Canucks Sports & Entertainment via CBS Sports.
He continued: "The Vancouver Canucks had success under Mike's leadership, and we nearly reached our ultimate goal; but I believe we have reached a point where a change in leadership and new voice is needed. I also want to thank our fans for their support for the Vancouver Canucks through a difficult and frustrating season,"
Since making it to the Cup finals in 2011, the Canucks have taken a downward swing since, finishing in first place in the now-defunct Northwest Division before losing in the quarterfinals in 2012 to the eighth-seeded eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings and getting swept out of the first round in 2013 by the San Jose Sharks.
Now with the Canucks failing to make the playoffs in 2014, Gillis was ousted while Tortorella remains on the hot seat with his fate yet to be determined.
Amid reports of Tortorella losing some of the players, including rumors that Ryan Kesler wanted to be traded out of town during the NHL trade deadline, the Canucks have struggled to a 35-33-11 record, good enough for fifth in the Pacific Division.
Tortorella also didn't please management when he was suspended for 15 days for trying to get to the Calgary Flames locker room after a line brawl broke out between both teams in January.
Tortorella was fired by the New York Rangers last summer and has had a tumultuous first year with the Canucks this season after taking over for the fired Alain Vigneault, who ironically has coached the Rangers (44-31-5, 93 points) to a Stanley Cup Playoff spot while occupying second place in the Metropolitan Division.
It remains to be seen if the Canucks will remove Tortorella, but his seat is hotter than ever with Gillis gone.
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