NHL: Head coach fired - John Tortorella in!

Vegas Golden Knights announces that they have relieved head coach Bruce Cassidy of his duties. The team has appointed John Tortorella as their new head coach.

Cassidy, 60, served as the head coach of Vegas for his fourth season. He led the team to a Stanley Cup victory in 2023. Vegas is currently heading to the playoffs, sitting seventh in the Western Conference.

Tortorella, 67, most recently served as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers for the past three seasons. The veteran coach has also led the Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL.

– Now that the regular season is coming to an end, we believe that a change is necessary for us to return to the level expected of our team. With Tortorella, we gain a Stanley Cup champion and one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the NHL, Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon commented in the team’s statement.

Vegas is currently in poor form. They have won only seven of their last 20 games.

Tortorella won the Stanley Cup in 2004 in Tampa. This season, he has served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning United States Olympic team.