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John Tortorella Seeks New NHL Job After Vegas Promotes Ryan Craig

Tortorella’s public push to keep coaching underscores a split between his short-term playoff surge and Vegas’s preplanned promotion that leaves him waiting for openings.

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Jun 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights John Tortorella during the post game press conference after the loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Tortorella was hired on March 29 to replace Bruce Cassidy and led the Golden Knights to a 7-0-1 finish and a run to the Stanley Cup Final before losing in June.
  • Two days after the Final, general manager Kelly McCrimmon told Tortorella that the club would promote AHL coach Ryan Craig to be head coach for 2026-27.
  • Tortorella told The Athletic on Friday that he is “disappointed,” that he wants to coach now, and that he respects the organization’s direction.
  • The NHL fined Tortorella $100,000 and the Golden Knights forfeited a second-round draft pick after he skipped a postgame media session during the playoff run.
  • With all current NHL head-coaching vacancies filled, Tortorella will likely wait for an in-season opening and remains a plausible short-term candidate for teams seeking an immediate reset.