Vegas Golden Knights Hire Veteran Coach John Tortorella

Tortorella replaces Bruce Cassidy as head coach amid push for playoff spot

Mar. 29, 2026 at 8:36pm

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The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that they have relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach and hired veteran NHL coach John Tortorella to take over the team. Tortorella, who has over 23 years of head coaching experience and led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship in 2004, will look to guide the Golden Knights to the playoffs as they make a push in the final stretch of the season.

Why it matters

The Golden Knights are currently in a tight race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and the decision to make a coaching change at this critical juncture of the season signals the team's urgency to return to the postseason after missing out last year. Tortorella's extensive experience and track record of success could provide the spark the team needs to secure a playoff berth.

The details

The Golden Knights announced that Bruce Cassidy has been relieved of his duties as head coach after four seasons with the team. Cassidy led the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023, but the team has struggled this season and currently sits outside of a playoff position. In his place, the team has hired John Tortorella, who has over 23 years of NHL head coaching experience, including a Stanley Cup win with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and a Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach in 2017 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

  • The Golden Knights made the coaching change on March 29, 2026 with the stretch run of the regular season underway.
  • Tortorella previously served as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2022-2025.

The players

John Tortorella

A veteran NHL head coach with over 23 years of experience, including a Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and a Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach in 2017 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Bruce Cassidy

The former head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, who led the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023 but was relieved of his duties amid the team's struggles this season.

Kelly McCrimmon

The general manager of the Vegas Golden Knights, who announced the coaching change and expressed confidence in Tortorella's ability to guide the team to the playoffs.

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What they’re saying

“We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons. Under Bruce's leadership, we reached our ultimate goal in 2023 by bringing a Stanley Cup to Vegas. Bruce will forever be remembered with the utmost regard by our organization for what was accomplished here.”

— Kelly McCrimmon, General Manager, Vegas Golden Knights

“With John Tortorella, we bring in a Stanley Cup Champion as well as one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the NHL. His guidance will be a great asset to our team at the pivotal point in the season we currently face.”

— Kelly McCrimmon, General Manager, Vegas Golden Knights

What’s next

The Golden Knights will look to Tortorella to quickly turn the team around and secure a playoff spot in the final stretch of the regular season.

The takeaway

The Golden Knights' decision to make a coaching change at this critical juncture of the season underscores the team's urgency to return to the playoffs after missing out last year. Tortorella's extensive experience and track record of success could provide the spark the team needs to secure a postseason berth.