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Report: Tortorella to be named Canucks coach this week

John Tortorella

Former New York Rangers hockey coach John Tortorella, right, walks out a side door to a waiting vehicle after arriving at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, on Friday June 21, 2013.(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

It might be the league’s worst kept secret, but it appears John Tortorella is set to become the next head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. CBC’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Hotstove last night that Tortorella would be announced sometime this week he’ll be the new Canucks coach.

Friedman also said the Canucks and GM Mike Gillis have done their due diligence in making sure he’s the right fit.

Assistant GM Laurence Gilman, who worked with Tortorella in Phoenix, was consulted as were former Rangers players Markus Naslund and Chris Higgins. The Canucks’ window for winning a Stanley Cup with this lineup is closing soon and, as Friedman notes, the feeling is that Tortorella will be the guy that will help make Vancouver’s dreams come true rather than someone like L.A. Kings assistant John Stevens.

Related: Report: Canucks offer head-coaching job to Tortorella

Canucks GM says Tortorella is a ‘very strong candidate’

Tortorella arrives in Vancouver, gets swamped by eager media