On Tuesday afternoon, it was officially announced by Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon that former Tampa Bay Lightning head coach John Tortorella will not return to Vegas for the 2026-27 season. “We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March,” McCrimmon said in a press release [https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/vegas-golden-knights-provide-update-on-team-s-coaching-staff]. “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. We are grateful for Torts’ passion, sincerity, and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best.” Tortorella joined the Golden Knights with just eight games remaining in the regular season after the team opted to part ways with Bruce Cassidy. From there, Tortorella then led the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Final where the Golden Knights were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes in six games. Tortorella has previously said that he wants to keep coaching beyond this season, but it's unknown when or where that opportunity will present itself: During his time in Tampa Bay, Tortorella led the Lightning to their first Stanley Cup title in 2004.
