Tortorella addresses McQuaid's healthy scratch

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella offered a blunt explanation for defenseman Adam McQuaid's status as a healthy scratch during Sunday's loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

"I have to make decisions on who I think is our best six, too, and right now 'Quaider' isn't that," Tortorella said Monday, according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch.

The Blue Jackets acquired McQuaid from the New York Rangers ahead of the trade deadline in an effort to bolster their blue line, but it seems Tortorella currently considers the 32-year-old to be a liability.

"Little concerned about the speed of the game with him and so we went back to the other guys," the coach said.

The 6-foot-4 defenseman has posted a minus-four rating in three games since joining the team.

Columbus has dropped three of four contests since general manager Jarmo Kekalainen went all-in at the trade deadline and sits two points out of a playoff berth heading into Monday's action.