John Tortorella will not return as the head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, the team announced Tuesday.
The news comes two days after the Golden Knights fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the Stanley Cup Final.
Tortorella was hired on March 29 after Vegas abruptly fired head coach Bruce Cassidy with eight games remaining in the regular season. Under Tortorella, the Golden Knights finished 7-0-1 to win the Pacific Division title.
Vegas rode that momentum and dispatched both the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games during the first two rounds of the playoffs before sweeping the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference final.
“We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “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, who turns 68 next week, appeared to be uncertain about his future following the Golden Knights’ 3-0 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 6 on Sunday.
“I feel very fortunate how this all came about, and just kind of in a weird way at the end of the year,” Tortorella said. “And then to get locked in with these guys, I just feel fortunate to get to know the team, get to know the organization, first-class organization, and just to have the opportunity.
“Like I said, I’ve wanted to coach, I want to coach. And to jump into this with this gang, I feel so fortunate.”
Tortorella’s overall record as an NHL head coach is 777-648-166 with 37 ties, highlighted by a Stanley Cup-winning campaign with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003-04. The two-time Jack Adams Award winner also has coached the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers.
