John Tortorella Says He's Skipping All-Star Game To Take Care Of Sick Pit Bull

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella missed the team’s game yesterday against the Nashville Predators, and will skip the NHL All-Star Game this weekend, due to a family emergency. Today, Tortorella clarified that everyone was okay, and gave his reason: his son’s dog is sick.

From Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:

The dog that is ailing is a 10-year-old pit bull, Emma. She belongs to his son, Nick, who is a U.S. Army Ranger stationed abroad.

“I needed to see this through,” Tortorella said.

The NHL forces players and coaches to miss a regular-season game if they have to miss the All-Star Game, which is presumably why Tortorella, who was scheduled to coach the Metropolitan Division Sunday, missed the game against Nashville. Torts loves his dogs.

H/t to Ryan