
There's no doubt the Golden Knights underachieved under Bruce Cassidy this season.
Though their overall metrics were excellent, especially on defense despite their woeful goaltending, they could not overcome their inconsistent efforts. Their offense has also been an issue, often unable to generate much offense when they needed it most.
Usually with coaching changes, teams pivot away from the personality of their previous coach and hire someone with the opposite temperament. That's clearly not the case here, as Tortorella and Cassidy both share a reputation for being very hard on their players.
It's most likely the Knights felt they needed a new voice, a spark to spur the team into action.
Like Rick Bowness in Columbus, there are no guarantees Tortorella stays beyond this season and the playoff run. Although viewed as a caretaker, the former Stanley Cup champion who set a new bar for the Blue Jackets and established a new culture for the Flyers, perhaps he's the coach who can wake the Knights from their malaise.
Is Tortorella the guy?
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