Overview
- The Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy and hired John Tortorella on March 29, and Tortorella’s arrival sparked a 19–4–1 run that carried Vegas into the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
- Under Tortorella the team went eight regular-season games without a regulation loss and posted a 12–4 playoff record to reach the Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
- The NHL fined Tortorella $100,000 and stripped Vegas of a 2026 second-round draft pick for repeated media-protocol violations, and those penalties were upheld on appeal.
- Bruce Cassidy has publicly said he is upset that Vegas blocked his pursuit of other jobs after his dismissal, creating lingering personnel and reputational tensions for the club.
- With Tortorella not under contract beyond the Final, the club must weigh on-ice momentum against the lost draft asset and league discipline when deciding its coaching and roster strategy this offseason.