John Tortorella hasn’t had a place to call home since March 29, when the Golden Knights hired him as their fourth head coach. He’s been living out of hotels, starting at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, then crisscrossing the West on a 10-day, four-game road trip. But the nomadic lifestyle hasn’t stopped the 67-year-old from guiding Vegas to a 7-0-1 record and its fifth Pacific Division title in nine seasons.
“I’m kind of like a guidance counselor,” Tortorella said. “If I feel they’re going off the road, I just got to guide them back on the road and they’ll take it from there.”
The Knights open the playoffs Sunday at T-Mobile Arena against the Utah Mammoth, their eighth postseason berth in nine years. Tortorella, a two-time Jack Adams winner and 2004 Stanley Cup champion with Tampa Bay, replaced Bruce Cassidy after the defending champions’ message went “stale.”
Rather than overhaul the system, Tortorella focused on mindset. “It takes time,” he said. “Toward the latter part of my career, I’ve done a lot of work in coaching the mind and mindset, and just how hard you go about it.”
The results have been dramatic. Vegas averaged 4.13 goals per game under Tortorella while allowing 1.88. Goaltender Carter Hart won his first six starts after returning from injury. The offense has come alive, and the team believes in itself again.
“Sometimes you need that,” center Jack Eichel said. “At times you need a reminder, and he’s not wrong. We have a really good hockey team here and we need to believe in ourselves and each other.”
Tortorella spent the earlier part of the season as an ESPN analyst, watching games and staying sharp. “I used it as kind of a platform to stay involved and keep myself sharp,” he said. “There’s changes in the game all the time, and if you don’t keep up with what’s going on in the game, you’re going to get lost.”
General manager Kelly McCrimmon praised Tortorella’s communication. “He’s a great communicator. He’s very respected in the industry. Experienced, comfortable in his own skin.”
Defenseman Noah Hanifin added: “Torts, he’s been around for a long time. He’s got great energy behind the bench. He just kind of keeps your mind sharp. He keeps us engaged in the game.”
Tortorella is signed only for the remainder of the season, but a deep playoff run could lead to an extension—and a more permanent residence. “Hopefully I’ll get out of (Red Rock) and find some place to rent for a while,” he said.
