LATEST | Lack reveals the one decision Tortorella took that led to Luongo asking out of Vancouver

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Cooper Godin
April 15, 2023 (9:30)

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John Tortorella has never shied away from a controversial decision as proven by his latest call of sitting, for 5 games straight, the Flyers' blueliner Anthony DeAngelo.

During Vancouver's final game of the regular season on Thursday in Arizona, former Canucks goaltender was a guest at one of the intermissions and decided to share a message for John Tortorella on what may have been the final straw that saw Roberto Luongo leave the team for the Florida Panthers.

"I don't know what Torts was thinking. But, Torts if you're listening, that was a bad call." Lack said when referring to him, as a rookie, starting over Luongo in the 2014 Heritage Classic in Vancouver.

Starting Eddie Lack over Roberto Luongo in the 2014 Heritage Classed turned out to be a costly one for John Tortorella as the Canucks lost the game in front of a sold-out BC Place to the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4 to 2.

While it might not have been the only reason Luongo wanted out of Vancouver, it was certainly the final nail in the coffin as only 48 hours later, the Montreal native was shipped off to the Florida Panthers, with Steve Anthony for Jacob Markstrom and Shawn Matthias.

After the video of Lack's message was posted on Twitter, the former NHLer commented on the Tweet, saying he felt relieved finally saying what he did after all these years.

I SAID IT!! Felt good to get it off my chest" Lack said.

Lack's time in Vancouver wouldn't last much longer, as he would go on to play one more season for the Canucks in the 2014-15 season, before being shipped off to Carolina for a pair of draft picks.