Recently hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets, John Tortorella — or “Torts” as he is commonly referred to in the media —  is the NHL’s favorite coaching enigma. He is known for his controversial interaction with the media and his fiery personality in the dressing room. The Blue Jackets have gone out on a limb by hiring the occasionally problematic bench boss, and only time will tell if it was the right decision.

After coaching multiple minor league teams, Tortorella’s first head coaching job in the NHL came when he took over the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2000-01 season. His first in-charge operation in the NHL saw him take a struggling and relatively new team to the very top. The Lightning won the Cup in 2004 in Tortorella’s third full season as head coach. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the Lightning to plummet back to the bottom of the standings, and Tortorella was fired at the end of the 2007-08 season.

Torts was once again hired mid-season as he took over for the New York Rangers, the team he is most widely associated with today. While there, Tortorella managed to do some damage — getting dealt a one game suspension in 2009 resulting from a physical interaction with a taunting fan, as well as countless expletive-laden interviews. During Tortorella’s time in New York, he managed to reclaim the winningest American-born coach crown. He proved that, personality aside, Tortorella could be the right coach for the right team.

In a bizarre coaching switch, Vancouver hired Tortorella to begin the 2013-14 season, and Vancouver’s Alain Vigneault headed east to coach the Rangers. It’s fair to say the Rangers got the better end of that deal. Though the Canucks were in playoff position at the season’s halfway point, they suffered an epic collapse as the season came to a close and post-season positions were solidified. Tortorella’s brash, uncensored style was not what Vancouver needed, with veteran leaders such as the Sedin twins, Kevin Bieksa, Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler unable to function the way they had become accustomed to under Vigneault’s rule. And in a city known for goalie controversy, Tortorella colossally mismanaged the stellar Lack-Luongo duo. That season marked the first time in five years that the Canucks did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, which is a big deal for a team that won two President’s Trophies in a row in 2011 and 2012 and played in game seven of the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. It’s unfair to pin a lost season on Tortorella alone, though he certainly did not help. He was suitably fired at the season’s end, to the relief of Canucks fans.

A pivotal and iconic moment from Tortorella’s brief moment with the Canucks came in a Jan. 18, 2014 game against the Calgary Flames where a line brawl began on opening faceoff, resulting in numerous major penalties and misconducts. Following the game, Tortorella stormed into the Flames dressing room, an offense which resulted in a 15-day suspension and cost him the faith of Canucks fans.

Maybe Torts’ year off, or the year-no-one-hired-him, has changed him for the better. His position as Team USA’s World Cup coach might offer him new inspiration, and maybe even reform this controversial personality. With young gun Ryan Johansen, among the NHL’s up-and-coming elite, and newly acquired Cup-winner Brandon Saad out to prove that he doesn’t need the Blackhawks to reclaim Hockey’s ultimate prize. My take is Tortorella knows he screwed up in Vancouver, he even said so during his “year off.” The fact of the matter is he is an elite NHL coach who wants to win, and he’s got nowhere to go but up after his lost season with the Canucks.

Long-forgotten are the Tampa Bay days when Torts claimed the ultimate crown, but perhaps he will lead Columbus to greatness, while saying a few abrasive things along the way. It proves that in sports success is the ultimate trump card for controversy.

Email Rachel Ruecker at [email protected].