Tortorella missing All-Star Game to be with ailing dog

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella revealed Thursday that he won't be going to Los Angeles to lead the Metropolitan Division at the All-Star Game, citing a family matter.

After an outpouring of well-wishes from his peers, Tortorella wanted to clarify that he wasn't dealing with an emergency - instead, one of his dogs is sick, he told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch.

"I appreciate so much the number of messages I have received since the announcement," Tortorella said. "But this absolutely is not an emergency. I want to clear that up.

"I needed a few days during the All-Star break - not having to go to the All-Star Game - to take care of something very important to my family and my son."

In response to missing All-Star festivities, the NHL - just like they do with players who can't make it - made Tortorella miss a game, so he did not coach Thursday against Nashville.

The 58-year-old owns five dogs, and it's his son Nick's 10-year-old pitbull, Emma, that is in ill health. Nick, a U.S. Army Ranger, is stationed abroad.

This would have been the second All-Star Game of Tortorella's career.