Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella had a successful procedure to remove a skin cancer growth on his forehead Tuesday, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Tortorella had a basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, removed. The procedure had been delayed for some time and the condition is not serious, the head coach said.
According to the American Cancer Society, basal cell, along with squamous cell, are among the most common types of skin cancer and usually develop on sun-exposed areas of the face, head and neck. Deaths from each type are uncommon.
The Blue Jackets announced that the 61-year-old will be behind the bench for Wednesday night’s game against the Dallas Stars after missing practice on Tuesday.
Tortorella is serving his fifth season in Columbus and 19th as a head coach in the NHL. Wednesday night’s matchup with the Stars will be his 1,263rd game in the league, surpassing Jacques Lemaire for 15th place all time.