Golden Knights Fire Cassidy, Hire Tortorella as New Head Coach

The bold move puts pressure on the struggling Edmonton Oilers to make a coaching change of their own.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:35pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and ice broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, the puck as the central focal point.A bold coaching change in Vegas puts the spotlight on the struggling Edmonton Oilers and their own leadership.Philadelphia Today

The Vegas Golden Knights have fired head coach Bruce Cassidy, who led the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023, and replaced him with veteran coach John Tortorella. The timing of the move, with just eight games left in the regular season, has immediately turned attention to the Edmonton Oilers, who have also faced questions about their head coach Kris Knoblauch's job security this season.

Why it matters

The Golden Knights' decision to make a coaching change despite recent success demonstrates the organization's aggressive standards and willingness to act quickly when they believe a change is necessary. This puts pressure on the Oilers, who have also struggled with inconsistent play this season, to potentially make a similar move with their own head coach.

The details

Cassidy won the Stanley Cup with Vegas in 2023 during his first season behind the bench, but was dismissed after the team posted a 32-26-16 record through 74 games this season. The new coach, Tortorella, is a veteran with 1,620 games of experience and a Stanley Cup championship of his own with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. The Golden Knights have now made four coaching changes since their 2017 expansion season, showing they maintain high expectations for performance.

  • The Golden Knights fired Cassidy on March 29, 2026, with just eight games remaining in the regular season.
  • Tortorella last coached with the Philadelphia Flyers before being dismissed in March 2025.

The players

Bruce Cassidy

The former head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, who led the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023 during his first season with the organization.

John Tortorella

The veteran head coach who was hired by the Vegas Golden Knights to replace Bruce Cassidy. Tortorella last coached with the Philadelphia Flyers before being dismissed in March 2025, but has a Stanley Cup championship on his resume from his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.

Kris Knoblauch

The current head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, whose job security has been questioned amid the team's inconsistent play this season.

Connor McDavid

The captain of the Edmonton Oilers, who recently praised the coaching of the Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper, sparking speculation about his satisfaction with Edmonton's systems and structure.

Leon Draisaitl

The star forward for the Edmonton Oilers, who has publicly questioned the coaching staff's performance this season.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The Oilers will be closely watched to see if they make a coaching change of their own in the offseason, especially with Cassidy now available as an attractive candidate.

The takeaway

The Golden Knights' bold move to fire a coach who just led them to a Stanley Cup championship demonstrates the organization's aggressive standards and willingness to make drastic changes when they believe it's necessary. This puts immediate pressure on the struggling Oilers to consider their own coaching situation, as the team continues to underperform despite having star players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.