The Vegas Golden Knights have announced changes to their coaching staff
The Vegas Golden Knights have announced changes to their coaching staff
VEGAS (March 29, 2026) – Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon announced today (March 29) the following changes to the team’s coaching staff: Bruce Cassidy has been released of his duties, and John Tortorella has been named head coach.
“We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons,” he stated.Bruce will be regarded with high regard by our organization for what he did here. With the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season approaching, we believe a change is required for us to return to the standard of play expected of our team.
We bring in John Tortorella, a Stanley Cup champion as well as one of the NHL’s most experienced and renowned coaches. His guidance will be invaluable to our team at this critical juncture in the season. We’re looking forward to welcoming John to Vegas.”
Tortorella has spent 23 seasons as an NHL head coach, the most recent with the Philadelphia Flyers (2022-25). Before coming to Philadelphia, he was the Columbus Blue Jackets’ head coach for six seasons (2015-21).
He led Columbus to its first-ever second-round appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2019, and after the Blue Jackets’ 2016-17 season, he was named the NHL’s top coach. Tortorella also served as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks (2013-14), New York Rangers (1999-00, 2008-13), and Tampa Bay Lightning (2000-08).
Tortorella has coached 1,620 NHL games, ranking sixth overall and first among coaches born in the United States. His 770 wins rank second among American coaches and eighth among all NHL head coaches.
Tortorella’s teams have won 56 more games in the postseason, including 12 visits to the Stanley Cup Playoffs overall. His teams won the division three times (2002-03, 2003-04, 2011-12), advanced to the conference finals twice (2003-04, 2011-12), and reached the Stanley Cup Final once (2003-04).
For the first time in his career, the veteran coach’s name appeared on the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004, and he also won the Jack Adams Award that year. Tortorella is one of just four coaches in NHL history to have won the Jack Adams Award with two different teams.
The Boston native has extensive international competition experience, most recently in February at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, where he served as an assistant coach for the United States and helped the Americans win gold in Milan alongside forward Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin.
Tortorella was coaching at the Winter Olympics for the second time, having previously done so in 2010 when the Americans won a silver medal in Vancouver. Tortorella also served as an assistant coach for USA Hockey at the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off, as well as head coach for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2008 IIHF Men’s World Championship.