from Andrew Gross of Rangers Rants,

With a team meeting looming at 12:45, he came into the interview room right from the ice around 12:30 and said to the media horde, “Notice I have my skates on because I’m not staying here that long. I don’t know what you’re going to ask me today that you didn’t ask me yesterday but go ahead and try.”

Tortorella, after shooting down the immediate first question on Staal’s status - “No update” - did then thoughtfully answer questions about Derek Stepan, why being innocent and naive in the playoffs as a player can be a good thing, the team’s confidence and chemistry and how the team must proceed without Clowe and Boyle.

But in the middle of answer about how the trade deadline acquisitions of Clowe from the Sharks and Derick Brassard and John Moore (and Dorsett) from the Blue Jackets for Marian Gaborik, plus the re-signing of Mats Zuccarello righted the team, Tortorella turned it into a rant against the media for misrepresenting his relationship with Gaborik. Tortorella, the day of the trade, warned the media not to “interfere” in his relationship with Gaborik.

“Yeah, I just think as you saw after the deadline, I just thought it changed our team a little bit,” Tortorella said of the personnel moves. “And I know you guys will turn it around and say that we didn’t like Gabby and you guys talk about the relationship I have with him. Gabby was a helluva player and we miss him in a lot of situations. He almost helped the team get in. So it isn’t that way. We ended up getting three or four players that solidified our core. So don’t give me any sh-*$!*^-it about Gabby as far as our relationship and all that because it’s wrong, and it’s unfair to both of us.”

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