With just eight games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, the Vegas Golden Knights have unexpectedly fired their head coach Bruce Cassidy. This comes as Vegas has only won 32 of 74 games this season. However, they have been fairly comfortably been holding on to third place in the Pacific Division. Maybe just as surprising as the news of the firing, but who they named as a replacement is unexpected, as well. Veteran coach John Tortorella has been named head coach.
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Golden Knights Fire Cassidy In Final Weeks of Regular Season
Cassidy had been the head coach for Vegas since June 14, 2022. He won the Stanley Cup with the team in his first season. Through 320 regular season games with the franchise, he had a record of 178-99-43, that is good for a .623 points percentage.
The Vegas Golden Knights have relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach.
John Tortorella has been named head coach.#VegasBornhttps://t.co/TSTwVqXlbQ
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 29, 2026
“We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons,” said Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon. “Under Bruce’s leadership, we reached our ultimate goal in 2023 by bringing a Stanley Cup to Vegas. Bruce will forever be remembered with the utmost regard by our organization for what was accomplished here.”
“With the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season upon us, we believe that a change is necessary for us to return to the level of play that is expected of our club,” McCrimmon said in a press release.
This was a surprising development, despite how much the Golden Knights have struggled. They have trailed in games for the second-most amount of time in the NHL, behind only the Vancouver Canucks.
What Tortorella Brings to the Table
Tortorella has coached in 23 NHL seasons, amassing a record of 770-648-165, along with 37 ties, in 1,620 games. He is sixth all-time in the number of games coached. Furthermore, his 770 wins are good for ninth all-time. He is known for his fiery personality behind the bench, as well as his dedication to accountability. He will make his return behind the bench for the first time since the end of the 2024-25 season, when he was fired by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Tortorella will coach his first game with Vegas on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Main Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
