Dan Kingerski
In a rare occurrence, Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon decided to not wait for the end of the season to make a big change, but to give his flagging veteran team a kick with just eight games remaining in the season.
Sunday, McCrimmon terminated coach Bruce Cassidy’s tenure. Cassidy has coached the Golden Knights for four seasons and led the Golden Knights to their emotional 2023 Stanley Cup championship.
He had one year remaining on his contract. The Golden Knights replaced hin with the fiery veteran coach John Tortorella.
“We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons,” said McCrimmon. “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. 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. We look forward to welcoming John to Vegas.”
Despite adding forward Mitch Marner and defenseman Rasmus Andersson this season, the Golden Knights have been lackluster. They are third in the weak Pacific Division, but have the fewest points (80) of any playoff seed in hockey.
The Golden Knights have lost three in a row, though two of them were in extra time.
Tortorella has one Stanley Cup ring, but it has been some time since the complicated coach hoisted Lord Stanley’s chalice. He did so with Tampa Bay in 2004, and was also named the winner of the Jack Adams Award that year. Tortorella is one of just four coaches in NHL history to win the Jack Adams Award with two different teams.
Cassidy, 60, compiled a record of 146-73-27 in 246 games with the VGK. His defense first system and personable demeanor was the right cocktail to deliver the 2023 Stanley Cup championship, fulfilling owner Bill Foley’s “Cup in Six” prediction.
Tortorella last coached the Philadelphia Flyers from 2022 to 2025, registering a 97-107-33 record before the organization embarked on a rebuild. Overall, Tortorella has coached 1620 NHL games with a 770-648-37-165 record.
The Golden Knights host the Canucks Monday and the Flames Thursday before a divisional battle with playoff implications against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
