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Golden Knights Fire Cassidy, Hire Tortorella to Revive Season

3/30/2026

40 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Vegas Golden Knights fired coach Bruce Cassidy and named John Tortorella as replacement to restore competitive standards.
The change follows a stretch of six losses in seven games while the Knights remained in playoff contention.
General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said the move was needed as the season ends.
Tortorella is a Stanley Cup–winning coach returning to the NHL after a hiatus, most recently with the Philadelphia Flyers.

History

Historical Context

In 2000, the Colorado Avalanche fired coach Bob Hartley after a disappointing playoff exit, despite his success in leading the team to Stanley Cup victories in 1996 and 2001. Similarly, the Vegas Golden Knights recently replaced Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella, highlighting the intense pressure on NHL coaches to deliver results and the potential for significant shifts in team dynamics during playoff contention.

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Story summary

The Vegas Golden Knights fired coach Bruce Cassidy and named John Tortorella as replacement to restore competitive standards.
The change follows a stretch of six losses in seven games while the Knights remained in playoff contention.
General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said the move was needed as the season ends.
Tortorella is a Stanley Cup–winning coach returning to the NHL after a hiatus, most recently with the Philadelphia Flyers.

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