John Tortorella, head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets was making waves on Friday, suggesting in a post-game interview, that we “Get rid of the shootout, just play the 3-on-3 until a team dies.”

Speaking on the level of excitement that 3-on-3 hockey brings to the ice versus the shootout, Tortorella went on, “You know I’m not a gimmick guy. I think it has to be determined within the game. Three-on-three isn’t a total team, but it’s still 3-on-3. Let the games end there. I think it’s exciting, I do. I have to watch myself. I get caught up watching and I almost forget who’s up next because I’m watching the three-on-three. I think it’s really good for the game.”

John Tortorella: "Get rid if the shootout, just play the 3-on-3 until a team dies." pic.twitter.com/o4rv7Ut4vC — Robert Söderlind (@HockeyWebCast) March 2, 2019

This same view has been shared in the past by coach Claude Julien, when, while coaching for the Boston Bruins a few years back, he was asked how he felt about the shootout. Julien responded, “They suck.” Keep in mind, the Bruins were 2-7 in the shootout at the time of being questioned.

Some fans clearly see through the shenanigans and are speaking up. A user on Reddit dubbed Scarrumba, sums it up pretty well, saying, “…shootouts are literally pure luck. I know it probably just sounds like I’m salty, given my team has a very bad record in the shootout, but it’s true. Shootouts are basically a glorified coin flip.”

While Tortorella acknowledges issues like TV time and game length, one really has to wonder if a team game should be decided by one man’s efforts.

Recent controversy surrounding the Canadian women’s hockey team’s loss via shootout has also brought this debate back into the limelight.

When questioned in February about the issue, Steven Stamkos said, “It would be like a playoff game being decided by a shootout. It would be absolutely ridiculous. We’d all be complaining about that so why should a game, whether it be world juniors, world championship or Olympics, get decided by a shootout?” In that same line of thinking, why should a regular season game be any different?

Following the women’s loss, Toronto Maple Leafs and 2014 Canadian Olympic team coach Mike Babcock said, “It’s one of those things — good win for the team that wins and devastating for the team that loses in the gold medal game, no matter what.” He continued, “I’m not a shootout guy.

And frankly, neither are we.

LATEST POSTS