LAS VEGAS — When the Vegas Golden Knights made the surprising mid-season decision to bring in John Tortorella, there was no promise he would be around past the end of the year. Now, after leading the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, Tortorella appears to have made a compelling argument for staying on.
The Golden Knights hired Tortorella with just eight games remaining in the regular season, a move that came alongside the firing of Bruce Cassidy. The team had slipped from first to third place in the Pacific Division when general manager Kelly McCrimmon decided to shake things up.
“If we didn’t have the expectations and the belief in our team that we do, we probably would have let this thing ride out,” McCrimmon said at the time of the change. “We like our team a lot, and we think our team has a chance to win. We needed to make this change to help that happen.”
That gamble paid off. Under Tortorella, Vegas went 7-0-1 to close out the regular season and claimed the Pacific Division title — the franchise’s fifth division crown in its nine-year history. In the playoffs, they knocked out Utah and Anaheim in six games each before pulling off a stunning sweep of Colorado, a team that had won the Presidents’ Trophy and posted an 8-1 record in the postseason.
The Golden Knights then faced Carolina in the Final, taking a 2-1 series lead before the Hurricanes rallied to win three straight games and capture their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years. Vegas dropped the decisive Game 6 by a score of 3-0.
After that loss Sunday night, Tortorella wasn’t in the mood to talk about his future, though his words hinted strongly that he wants to keep coaching.
“I’ve got to swallow this a little bit,” Tortorella said.
The 67-year-old coach — who turns 68 soon — spoke warmly about the players and the organization, and didn’t sound like someone ready to walk away from the bench.
“I feel very fortunate to get to know the team, get to know the organization,” Tortorella said. “It’s a first-class organization. Just to have the opportunity. I wanted to coach. I want to coach. To jump in with this gang, I feel so fortunate.”
Should he return next season, Tortorella expressed confidence in the team’s ability to make another deep run. The Golden Knights roster features talented players including Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, and Mark Stone — a group Tortorella clearly believes can compete for a championship again.
“I know we’re on the wrong end of it here, but I just feel that’s a strong room,” Tortorella said. “I’m anxious to see what happens next year because it has another chance.”
The Golden Knights are also known for their willingness to pursue additional talent when needed. What management decides about Tortorella’s future is expected to become clear in the days ahead.
