Golden Knights make surprise decision on John Tortorella after shock hire led team to Stanley Cup Final
Tortorella was hired just before the playoffs and had rousing success
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}John Tortorella came in to be the Vegas Golden Knights' savior, and he was oh-so close. But now, his time with the team is up.
Two days after falling in the Stanley Cup Final to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Golden Knights announced that Tortorella would not return to its bench for next season.
The Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy on March 29 following a stretch in which they had lost 12 of 17 games ahead of the playoffs and hired Tortorella. Vegas then went 7-0-1 in its final eight games of the regular season, 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 six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 14, 2026. (Christopher Trim/Icon Sportswire)
"We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March," general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a release.
"When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to 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."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Head coach John Tortorella of the Vegas Golden Knights looks on during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 11, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Golden Knights defeated both the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games before a stunning sweep of the Colorado Avalanche, whose 121 points were, by far, the most in the NHL.
Vegas got out to a 2-1 series lead in the Cup Final, with its first loss coming from a blown 2-0 lead in the third period in Game 2 before dropping three in a row to give the Canes their first Cup since 2006.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Head coach John Tortorella leads practice on Media Day ahead of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at 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 has twice won the Jack Adams Award for the NHL's Coach of the Year, winning in 2004 and 2017.