John Tortorella’s tenure behind the Vegas bench is over after just one season. General manager Kelly McCrimmon announced Tuesday that the veteran coach will not return for the 2026-27 campaign, following a Stanley Cup Final appearance that ended in a six-game loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tortorella, 68, took over on March 30 after the team fired Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. The Golden Knights won seven of those games and then stormed through three playoff rounds before falling to the Hurricanes.
“We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March,” McCrimmon said in a statement. “When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to the Stanley Cup Final.”
McCrimmon added: “We are grateful for Torts’ passion, sincerity, and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best.”
The decision comes despite the deep playoff run, but Tortorella’s future was uncertain after the team stuck with goaltender Carter Hart during the final, where Hart posted an .863 save percentage — the lowest in a Cup Final since 1991.
Tortorella, who turns 68 next week, last hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2004 with Tampa Bay. He also coached the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Philadelphia Flyers before a year out of the league. He was hired by McCrimmon on an interim basis and given a chance to audition for the full-time job.
McCrimmon is scheduled to address reporters Wednesday. A potential internal candidate to replace Tortorella is Ryan Craig, who has coached the Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas’s top AHL affiliate, for the past three seasons.
