John Torchetti

John Torchetti
Born	July 9, 1964 Boston, MA, USA
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Binghamton Whalers Carolina Thunderbirds Virginia Lancers Winston-Salem Thunderbirds
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	1984–1991

John Torchetti (born July 9, 1964) is the interim head coach of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and a former professional ice hockey player. Previously, he was the head coach of the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League (2002–2003), and the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL for the 2006–2007 season. He also served as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Atlanta Thrashers, and Chicago Blackhawks; Kontinental Hockey League's HC CSKA Moscow also he was the interim head coach for the Florida Panthers, and Los Angeles Kings.

Playing career

Torchetti played prep school hockey for the powerful New Preparatory School of Cambridge, Massachusetts as a Post-Graduate at the age of eighteen under the coaching tutelage of the regionally renowned Mike Kozack. Before attending New Prep School, Torchetti played for Jamaica Plain High School in the Boston City League, where he set state scoring records, superseding the ones achieved in the late 1960s by the legendary Robbie Ftorek of Needham High School.

Torchetti started his professional career as a member of the Carolina Thunderbirds, where he would spend seven of his eight seasons. Torchetti led the All-American Hockey League in goals (63), assists (71), and points (134) during the 1987–88 AAHL season. He would have a brief callup with the Binghamton Whalers of the AHL at the start of the 1988–89 season, but would return to Carolina after ten games.

After eight seasons in the minors, Torchetti retired from hockey after the 1990–91 ECHL season.

Coaching career

His first coaching assignment came as an assistant coach for the Greensboro Monarchs of the ECHL. His first head coaching position was with the San Antonio Iguanas of the CHL, where he took over when Bill Goldsworthy became ill. He coached the Iguanas to the finals twice in two years and won the Commissioner's Trophy for coach of the year in 1995. After spending the first half of the 1996–97 season as an Assistant Coach with the San Antonio Dragons of the IHL, Torchetti became head coach of the Fort Wayne Komets. In 1998 he won the Commissioners' Trophy.

Before the 1999–2000 NHL season Torchetti was hired as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning under Steve Ludzik. In 2002 Torchetti was hired as head coach of the San Antonio Rampage. Due to his many coaching stints in the city, "Torch" has kept close ties to San Antonio. After 65 games he was promoted to assistant coach with the parent club, the Florida Panthers. In 2004 he served 27 games as interim head coach, replacing Rick Dudley. He finished with a 10–12–4–1 record before being replaced by Jacques Martin. During the 2005–06 NHL season, Torchetti was hired by Dave Taylor as interim head coach of the Los Angeles Kings. With a chance to clinch a playoff spot, he had a 5–7 record in the team's final 12 games and was not retained by the Kings, instead being replaced by Marc Crawford.

In 2006 he was hired by the Moncton Wildcats to replace Ted Nolan as Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations. He coached the team to a 39–25–0–4 record and a third-placed finish in the QMJHL's Eastern Division. The Wildcats were eliminated in the first round by the Halifax Mooseheads.

Torchetti was hired as an associate coach for the Chicago Blackhawks on May 16, 2007.^[1]

On July 8, 2010 it was announced that Torchetti has been hired by the Atlanta Thrashers as the associate head coach under Craig Ramsay.^[2]

On July 5, 2011 he was announced as the new head coach of the Houston Aeros,^[3] replacing Mike Yeo.

On June 24, 2013 he was introduced as the new head coach of the KHL's CSKA Moscow.^[4][5]

On November 12, 2014 he was announced as the head coach of the Iowa Wild. He replaced Kurt Kleinendorst, who had started the season with a 2-10 record. This marked a return to a franchise he led in Houston.

On February 13, 2016, Torchetti was announced as the interim head coach of the Minnesota Wild.^[6]

Awards

AAHL Award Year(s) First Team All-Star 1987–88 Most points 1987–88 Most goals scored 1987–88 Most assists 1987–88 Most Valuable Player 1987–88

ACHL Award Year(s) Regular Season Champion 1984–85; 1985–86 ECHL Award Year(s) Riley Cup winner 1988–89

Coaching record

Team	Year	Regular season							Post season
		G	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	Finish	Result
FLA	2003–04	27	10	12	4	1	(75)	4th in Southeast	Missed playoffs
LAK	2005–06	12	5	7	–	0	(89)	4th in Pacific	Missed playoffs
MIN	2015–16	27	15	11	–	1	31 (87)	5th in Central	Lost in First Round vs DAL 2-4
Total		66	30	30	4	2

References

1. Topic Galleries – chicagotribune.com
2. John Torchetti leaves Chicago Blackhawks for Atlanta Thrashers - ESPN Chicago
3. Aeros tab John Torchetti as next head coach - Houston Chronicle
5. КХЛ: Главным тренером ЦСКА назначен американец Торчетти
6. "Minnesota Wild Names John Torchetti Interim Head Coach". February 13, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2015.

External links

• John Torchetti's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• John Torchetti's career stats at EliteProspects.com