Columbus Blue Jackets fire coach Todd Richards, hire John Tortorella

With the team off to its worst start in franchise history, the Columbus Blue Jackets have fired coach Todd Richards and replaced him with John Tortorella, the team confirmed Wednesday.

The move was reported by TSN and also the Columbus Dispatch.

The decision to part with Richards came after Tuesday's loss to the New York Islanders dropped the Blue Jackets to 0-7-0. They are the lone NHL team without a point this season.

Richards, who previously coached two seasons with the Minnesota Wild, has been the Columbus coach since the middle of the 2011-12 season when the team fired Scott Arniel. He compiled a 127-112-21 record with the Blue Jackets, including one playoff appearance.

This will be the fourth coaching stop in Tortorella's career. He led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup title in 2004 and also coached the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. His 446 victories in the NHL are the most by an American coach.

Tortorella was also recently named the United States coach for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.