Vegas Golden Knights Hire John Tortorella as New Head Coach

Tortorella replaces Bruce Cassidy, who was fired after leading the team to a Stanley Cup in 2023.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 6:39pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented hockey game scene, with players and the rink broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of muted blue, gray, and white tones.The Golden Knights' coaching change aims to reshape the team's identity and recapture their championship form.

The Vegas Golden Knights have fired head coach Bruce Cassidy and replaced him with veteran NHL coach John Tortorella. Tortorella, who won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, will take over the team as they make a push for the playoffs in the final stretch of the 2025-26 season.

Why it matters

The Golden Knights' decision to make a coaching change midway through the season is an unusual move, especially given Cassidy's recent success in leading the team to a Stanley Cup championship just three years ago. Tortorella is known as a demanding and intense coach, so his hiring signals the team's desire to shake things up and get the team back on track after a recent slump.

The details

General manager Kelly McCrimmon announced the coaching change, stating that '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.' Tortorella, who was not coaching in the NHL this season, previously led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup title in 2004.

  • The Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
  • Tortorella was introduced as the new head coach at a press conference on Monday, March 30, 2026.

The players

John Tortorella

A veteran NHL head coach who won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He will now take over the Golden Knights for the final stretch of the 2025-26 season.

Bruce Cassidy

The former head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, who was fired after leading the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023.

Kelly McCrimmon

The general manager of the Vegas Golden Knights, who announced the coaching change.

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What they’re saying

“'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. With the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season upon us, we believe that a change is necessary for us to return to the level of play that is expected of our club.'”

— Kelly McCrimmon, General Manager, Vegas Golden Knights

What’s next

Tortorella will look to quickly get the Golden Knights back on track and secure a playoff spot in the final weeks of the regular season.

The takeaway

The Golden Knights' decision to fire a coach who recently won them a Stanley Cup championship highlights the high expectations and intense pressure in the NHL, where even recent success is not enough to guarantee job security. Tortorella's hiring signals the team's desire for a more disciplined and demanding approach to get the team back to its championship-caliber level of play.