For Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, hiring head coach John Tortorella after an 0-7-0 start to the season was an all-or-nothing decision. If the former Lightning, Rangers and Canucks coach fails, there is a good chance it costs Kekalainen his job, too. If he succeeds, the Columbus GM will look brilliant for giving the former Cup winner another chance.
At this point, most are betting against Tortorella. You have to wonder if skepticism would be the same if he was judged only on his coaching record and not for public spats with the media (and many others) and all those quotes about blocking shots.
That doesn't mean the naysayers are wrong, but many other coaches who came oh-so-close to winning with good teams also lost their longtime jobs and found success elsewhere.