The Vegas Golden Knights might be the team that never sleeps. This NHL franchise has just made a shocking move by bringing in John Tortorella.
While other sports leagues like the MLB and IPL are just kicking off, the NHL has mere weeks before the grind of the playoffs begins.
And the Golden Knights have made a big move.
Bruce Cassidy Out, John Tortorella In
A new report has just come out that Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy is being replaced by the gritty veteran bench boss Tortorella.
Cassidy leaves the Golden Knights with a 178-99-43 record in 320 games as the head coach for Vegas. He led them to a Stanley Cup during his first season with the team. Additionally, the Golden Knights had two first-place finishes in the Pacific Division during his tenure.
Cassidy has 829 games of coaching experience under his belt. Considering that he has won a Stanley Cup in the last five years, it won’t be long until he finds more work in the NHL again.
The Golden Knights released a statement about their newest hire.
“With John Tortorella, we bring in a Stanley Cup Champion as well as one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the NHL,” Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon said in a statement. “His guidance will be a great asset to our team at the pivotal point in the season we currently face. We look forward to welcoming John to Vegas.”
Tortorella brings 1620 games of NHL coaching experience to the Golden Knights. He has 770 career wins under his belt. Tortorella last coached the Philadelphia Flyers in 2024-25.
In 73 games that year, he led the Flyers to a 28-36-9 record. Tortorella owns a .538 points percentage in his coaching career. Additionally, Tortorella won a Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Golden Knights Have Eyes on the Playoffs
With only eight games left on the regular season schedule, the Golden Knights have replaced their head coach.
That’s the kind of bold move that only the Golden Knights would pull off.
Sure, they have a 3-5-3 record over their last 10 games, with their most recent loss coming in the form of a 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals.
The Golden Knights currently sit third in the Pacific Division with 80 points. They own a 32-26-16 record so far this 2025-26 season.
Playoff Rematch Against Edmonton Oilers?
As it stands right now, the Golden Knights would face the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round of the playoffs. To defeat a high-flying team like that, a considerable amount of grit and defensive awareness is pivotal in winning that kind of series.
Luckily for Vegas, that’s exactly the kind of play style he excels at bringing out in his players.
The Golden Knights have played two playoff series against the Oilers. They won the first series, then dropped the second. Tortorella could help them get their revenge if the playoff tree stands as it is right now.
While there might be more modern coaches available, the Golden Knights are clearly betting on Stanley Cup pedigree to help them bring home another Trophy.
Golden Knights Make Shocking Coaching Change as Playoffs Loom