Tortorella: 'I deserved to get fired' by Canucks

Former NHL head coach John Tortorella regrets the way he ended his tenure with the Vancouver Canucks.

Tortorella opened up about his firing in an interview with Tampa Bay radio station WDAE on Friday morning.

"You're talking to a guy who went down the hallway after another coach last year," Tortorell said. "Which was just so across the line and so embarrassing to my organization and my team."

Tortorella had to be restrained after trying to confront the Calgary Flames in the tunnel during the first intermission of a heated contest last Jan. 18.

He was suspended for 15 days and fired four months later.

"I've made a lot of mistakes along the way and I'll make more if I have an opportunity to coach again, but as long as you're trying to learn to get better, that's the way I look at it."

Tortorella said he understands why he was let go.

"We had a great first half, but I don't think I did the job for the team in the second half (in terms of) consistency, and I think that's what cost me my job.

"Quite honestly, I deserved to get fired after that second half of the year."

Tortorella won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, but he has spent this season away from the league. He said he misses being involved with an NHL club.

"I miss that part of it terribly, being in the locker room with teams."