TORCHREADY TO FIRE UP THE WILD

Nov 11, 2014

By Tom Witosky

Iowawild.com

Follow Tom @toskyAHLWild

The Iowa Wild, despite only 12 games into the season, officially began its drive to make the American Hockey League playoffs Tuesday with the hiring of veteran coach John Torchetti.

“We are eight points out of a playoff spot,” Torchetti said at a news conference following the Wild’s announcement that he had replaced Kurt Kleinendorst as the AHL club’s head coach. “That is all we are fighting for now is that eighth spot. With 64 games to go to make up eight points, we have to cut that in half pretty soon.”

Wild officials moved Sunday night to replace Kleinendorst after the club lost its fifth consecutive game and finds itself in fifth place in the Wes Division. Kleinendorst, who coached Binghamton to a Calder Cup championship in 2011, ends his tenure with the Wild with an overall, record of 29-47-6-7.

Jim Mill, the Iowa’s general manager, said that consideration of a change began about two weeks after a difficult start to the 2014-15 season, which includes a 1-6-0-0 home record. Two consecutive victories two weeks ago had delayed a move, but the final five losses forced the change, Mill said.

“We expected a great start this season and we didn’t get that,” said Mill, who described Kleinendorst as a winner and excellent head coach. “So it became clear to us quickly and Kurt, too, that it was going to have to turn around quick or there would have to be change.”

Mill said that the 50-year-old Torchetti, who coached the Wild’s AHL team in Houston in 2011-12 and 2012-13 before spending last season as head coach for the CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League, was clearly the choice to replace Kleinendorst. At Houston, Torchetti’s team compiled a 75-51-0-26 record and made the playoffs both years. At Moscow, Torchetti’s team complied a 32-20-0-2 record and made the KHL playoffs.

“He is an excellent coach,” Mill said. “He is full of energy and pushes aggressive style of play. He has won a Stanley Cup and has been a winner at every level. So he will be a new voice and do a great job.”

Fans can expect a significant change behind the bench particularly in demeanor from a coach whose nickname is “Torch.”

“You are going to see a level of energy and excitement,” Mill said.  “That happens when there is change. But add to it, a guy like him who wears his heart on his sleeve every day. He is emotional and so you will see that in our team.”

Torchetti’s coaching record includes assistant coaching stints with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also took over as a midseason head coach replacement for the Panthers in 2003-04 and for the Los Angeles Kings in 2005-06 when both teams were mired in long losing streaks.

“It is a confidence thing with players,” Torchetti said. “They have to believe in each other right away and they have to believe in you right away.”

Torchetti arrives in Iowa with the challenge of re-establishing an atmosphere in the locker room that will rejuvenate player confidence and spark much more aggressive play for a full 60 minutes. That means a lot more aggressive play in the corners and in front of the goal, he said.

“I am a big believer in that your face is your body of work and we need to get some me more nicks,” Torchetti said. “I believe having energy is everything. Losing drains you, winning makes you want to play more and harder.”

With the Wild squaring off on the road against Milwaukee on Wednesday night, Torchetti said the first major emphasis will be on the first period. Slow first period starts have plagued the team this season that often found itself trailing by more than one goal.

“We are going to worry about the first period,” Torchetti said. “The opposing team is going to know that and they will want to have a big storm in the first five minutes. You need to keep poise and get through it.”

Torchetti said players need to take responsibility for the poor start to the season as much as anyone.

“There are 30 plus people involved in the record here not just one,” said Torchetti, who is a friend of Kleinendorst. “But one had to take the fall and that is not always right. We all know we have to improve as an organization and not be happy until we do. The fans shouldn’t be happy either.”

Zack Phillips, who played for Torchetti in Houston, described Tochetti as a “hard-nosed coach.”

“He expects us to come to the rink and work hard. If you work hard for him, he respects you and he rewards you,” Phillips said. 

 Brett Sutter, one of the Wild’s captains, said while the change is “disappointing,” it is a fresh start for a team that is better than it has been playing.

“We have a lot of guys in the locker room who care,” Sutter said. “You hear that from every team, but we have some older guys who really care and some young guys who are willing to push themselves. It is going to be good for us,” Sutter said.

Sutter said he also understands why Torchetti wants to emphasize the team’s first period on Wednesday.

“It is situation of no matter whether we score first or the other team scores first, you have to play the same way for 60 minutes once the puck has dropped,” Sutter said. “He has a reputation of being an honest hard coach. That’s all you can ask for.”