Barry Trotz, Capitals coach, denies report he told John Tortorella career was ending

After Thursday night’s Game 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz denied a report that he told Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella “I’m gone,” referring to his coaching tenure in Washington.

Elliotte Friedman of the Canadian outlet Sportsnet sparked rumors about Trotz in an article he published Thursday afternoon. He showed a video of Trotz and Tortorella shaking hands after the Capitals knocked out Columbus in Game 6 of their series Monday.

“Just read John Tortorella’s and Barry Trotz’s lips here,” Friedman wrote, speculating Trotz told Tortorella, “I’m gone. I’m gone. I’m not coming back.”

Trotz, who turns 56 this summer, is in the final year of his contract with the Capitals.

“No. That’s John. We were talking. We weren’t talking about that,” Trotz said Thursday night.

Trotz told The Washington Times this month that he was not thinking about how much the Capitals’ postseason results will affect his status with the club.

“I’ve been doing this too [expletive] long to worry about it,” Trotz said.

He added that the situation might have bothered him when he was a younger man, and said, “If I’m not (here next season), then I’ll move on. So be it.”