John Tortorella said it didn't matter. His team didn't care.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got their head coach the 500th win of his NHL career Sunday, winning their ninth straight, and captain Nick Foligno was happy to be a part of it.

"He says it doesn't mean (expletive), but that's a lot of wins," Foligno said, writes The Columbus Dispatch's Aaron Portzline. "He's gone through a roller coaster in his career ... but we're happy to have him at the helm here."

Known for his emotion and the outbursts that stem from it, Tortorella appears more mellow behind the bench this season, less of his firecracker self.

Chalk it up to age, says the 58-year-old.

"I'm trying to enjoy it more. I'm on the back nine. That's just the way it is," Tortorella, a Stanley Cup winner in 2004, said. "I'm fortunate enough to be in the league a long time. I know it's not going to be forever, so I do want to try and enjoy it."

The wins - Columbus has won 20 of 29 games - certainly help, too.

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