The Vegas Golden Knights have dismissed head coach Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season, replacing him with veteran bench boss John Tortorella. The move comes despite the team holding a playoff spot and having won a Stanley Cup under Cassidy in 2023.

Tortorella, who has coached 1,620 NHL games and won a championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, most recently coached the Philadelphia Flyers. He takes over a roster that was bolstered at the trade deadline by additions including Mitch Marner and Rasmus Andersson.

Cassidy compiled two 50-win seasons and three playoff appearances in his three-plus years with the Golden Knights. General manager Kelly McCrimmon said the change was warranted given the team’s recent performance.

“There was never a sense Cassidy lost the room,” the report noted, adding that some players did not feel a disconnect or that the message had grown stale.

The timing is unusual, as coaching changes this late in a season while a team is in playoff position are rare. Tortorella will have to implement his system quickly with only a few weeks before the postseason.

The decision is seen as a major gamble for McCrimmon, with potential outcomes ranging from a momentum-boosting playoff run to a complete collapse.