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NHL strips Vegas of 2026 draft pick, fines Tortorella $100K

5/16/2026

28 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Golden Knights Penalized

The NHL stripped the Vegas Golden Knights of their 2026 pick and fined John Tortorella $100,000 after he refused interviews and the locker room stayed closed after Game 6 on May 14.
The forfeited No. 61 pick in the June 2026 NHL Draft can be appealed at a New York hearing next week.
Vegas, without a first-round pick after a March 2024 trade for defenseman Noah Hanifin, will face the Avalanche in the Finals on May 20 in Denver.

Summary

Golden Knights Fined

The NHL fined the Vegas Golden Knights for violating the media access policy on May 14, 2026, citing repeat violations.
John Tortorella has accrued $300,000+ in fines—$162,000 before joining Vegas and a $50,000 2024 fine for refusing to leave the bench after a misconduct penalty.
The league warned that the Knights’ non-compliance could trigger stricter enforcement, noting Tortorella’s short-term March hire lacks a contract beyond the season.

Summary

Golden Knights Sanctioned

League officials announced a $100,000 fine and the loss of a second-round draft pick on May 15, 2026.
In the game, Vegas led 3-0 after the first period when Mitch Marner, Brett Howden and Shea Theodore each scored.
Pavel Dorofeyev added two third-period goals to complete Vegas’s five-goal total.
Anaheim scored its lone goal in the second period while Vegas’s five goals came from four players, showing a balanced offense.

History

Historical Context

The NHL’s 2004-05 lockout halted league play. A later CBA expired on September 15 2012, prompting the 2012-13 lockout and reinforcing the league’s strict labor stance. In May 2026, the Vegas Golden Knights were fined and lost a second-round pick after coach John Tortorella violated media-access rules, showing the NHL’s continued willingness to impose heavy penalties.

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Golden Knights Penalized

The NHL stripped the Vegas Golden Knights of their 2026 pick and fined John Tortorella $100,000 after he refused interviews and the locker room stayed closed after Game 6 on May 14.
The forfeited No. 61 pick in the June 2026 NHL Draft can be appealed at a New York hearing next week.
Vegas, without a first-round pick after a March 2024 trade for defenseman Noah Hanifin, will face the Avalanche in the Finals on May 20 in Denver.

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