John Tortorella had high praise for Jack Capuano when the Islanders were in Columbus last month and the Blue Jackets coach still showed love for Capuano, who was fired last week.
“I was texting him during the time all the noise was around him for quite a while, just to try to lend support,” said Tortorella, who brought Capuano on to work with Team USA during September’s World Cup of Hockey. “I loved working with him. He is one intelligent guy. With the coaches, no one’s looking out after us. When I’m playing against Jack, I want to beat him, you want to do everything to beat him, but when you’re away from that and you see a guy in a situation he’s been in, I think we have to support one another as coaches.