John Tortorella inching close to NHL return with Atlantic Division team

HockeyFeed is pushing the idea that Buffalo's front office shakeup could open the door to a major coaching swing, especially if Lindy Ruff's seat gets hot. The Sabres just replaced general manager Kevyn Adams with Jarmo Kekäläinen, and that connection matters here.

Kekäläinen hired Tortorella in Columbus, and the article frames that history as the spark for the chatter. If Buffalo decides it needs a hard reset behind the bench to chase the end of its playoff drought, Tortorella is the kind of lightning rod owners notice.

At his introductory press conference, Kekäläinen complimented Ruff but avoided the kind of full-throated guarantee fans were looking for. He said, «He's been a great coach in the league for a long time; I've really enjoyed my interaction with him day-to-day.»

That quote reads polite, not permanent, and fans can hear the pause between the words. Buffalo has been chasing structure for years, and Tortorella always sells structure first, even when it gets uncomfortable.

From a hockey standpoint, you can see the pitch. Tortorella teams usually protect the middle, keep shifts short, and demand clean exits instead of cute plays through traffic, which is exactly where young rosters can get burned.

He also carries real weight in league history, including a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay, and he's listed at 742 NHL coaching wins as of the end of 2023-24.

For Chicago, this is where the quiet relief comes in. The Blackhawks are building around young skill and patience, and the last thing that room needs is a daily headline generator who coaches like every practice is Game 7.

If Tortorella does jump back in, Buffalo is the kind of pressure cooker that would actually make sense. And if he doesn't land there, Chicago can keep focusing on its rebuild without that particular storm cloud drifting over the United Center.