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John Tortorella came to be the savior of the Vegas Golden Knights, and he was very close. But now his time with the team is over.
Two days after losing in the Stanley Cup final to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Golden Knights announced that Tortorella would not return to their bench for next season.
The Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy on March 29 after a stretch in which they had lost 12 of 17 games heading into the playoffs and hired Tortorella. Vegas then went 7-0-1 in its final eight regular-season games and won the Western Conference before falling in the Cup final in six games.
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John Tortorella of the Vegas Golden Knights arrives before Game 6 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 14, 2026. (Christopher Trim/Sportswire Icon)
“We thank Torts for the guidance he has provided to our team since joining the organization in March,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a statement.
“When the decision was made to bring Torts to Las Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a crucial point in the season. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost we were looking for, helping us reach the Stanley Cup Final. We are grateful for Torts’ passion, sincerity and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best.”
Head coach John Tortorella of the Vegas Golden Knights watches during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 11, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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The Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games before an impressive sweep of the Colorado Avalanche, whose 121 points were by far the most in the NHL.
Vegas took a 2-1 series lead in the Cup final, with its first loss coming on a blown 2-0 lead in the third period of Game 2 before losing three in a row to give the Canes their first Cup since 2006.
Head coach John Tortorella leads Media Day practice prior to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 1, 2026. (Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
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The Golden Knights were Tortorella’s sixth NHL team; this was his first cup final since winning it with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003-04. He is a two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award for NHL Coach of the Year, winning in 2004 and 2017.
