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Foligno downplays report of meeting with Torts, calls it ‘blown out of proportion’

Columbus Blue Jackets v Arizona Coyotes

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 17: Head coach John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets watches from the bench during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on December 17, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. The Blue Jackets defeated the Coyotes 7-5. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet insiders Elliotte Friedman and Nick Kypreos reported that Blue Jackets players had held a meeting with John Tortorella in hopes that the fiery head coach would be “a little easier” and more positive going forward.

On Sunday, Columbus captain Nick Foligno acknowledged that the meeting took place, but in a text to The Dispatch newspaper, he said it wasn’t a big deal.

“This whole story is blown out of proportion,” Foligno wrote. “We talked about a lot of things in the meeting. Meetings happen all the time, and I’m not sure why this one was turned into something way more than what it was.”

The Jackets got back in the win column Saturday with a 2-1 victory over the Red Wings. That followed a 3-o loss to the Canucks on Thursday, after which Tortorella criticized his team for playing with “zero emotion,” save for the first three shifts of the game.

“Nothing happens right if you don’t play with emotion,” said Tortorella. “We’ve got to get that figured out.”

Columbus hosts the Rangers tonight (on NBCSN).