"I think after last year … listen, I'm honest, I'm not the easiest guy to figure out right away," Tortorella said. "And I think that was a little bit of adjustment period with the team last year. And for me to them too. I didn't even know their names when I got in there last year. We're still in that area of trying to figure one another out, but we're much more comfortable.
"I've made adjustments in my coaching to the youth of this team. We've tried to, as I say, 'turn away' from mistakes and allow them to play because I think we need to play a different game, especially with some of the skill that's been brought in to our team."
Tortorella said he recognized a need to adjust and change.
"Absolutely. I readily admit that I make my bed in a lot of different situations where I've made some huge mistakes in stunting the growth of a player because of not being patient at certain times," he said. "I'm constantly re-evaluating myself in trying to handle that.
"You go through a number of these situations and just as players [do], you learn. I'm constantly learning as a coach. I have a couple of coaches that I'm learning from daily. I was graced to have the World Cup [of Hockey] coaches, some youth there on a coaching staff that I learned a ton from. I'm trying to bring that into my philosophy also.
"I still am who I am. I'm not going to change that. But I also understand and learn from some youthful guys that bring a whole different demeanor and thoughts into coaching."
Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno endorsed Tortorella's new approach
"I think he's done a great job of practicing what he's preached," said Foligno, who has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 25 games. "It's not easy, I'm sure, but he's allowed us to play the game and have that free-flowing mentality when we're doing things the right way. He understands there are mistakes that will happen, but that if he jumps on them every time, that's when you're not going to see your team do the things you want them to do.