The Chicago Blackhawks have had a rough go on their East Coast road trip. They earned a win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday, but they would not say that they played particularly well. They found a way to hang onto their built-up lead, but their play was a sign of things to come. 

The back-to-back on Thursday and Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers was a disaster for Chicago. They lost both by a combined score of 11-2. 

This game went a little differently. The Blackhawks played well to open the game. They looked like the team that had a day off, while the Devils looked like they played one night prior (loss to the Carolina Hurricanes). 

Early on, New Jersey goalie Jake Allen gave the puck away to Anton Frondell behind the net, and he found Ilya Mikheyev, who scored one of the easiest goals he'll ever score to make it 1-0. 

The Devils tied it just after the halfway point of the first period, as Connor Brown tipped in a Luke Hughes shot. Just under two minutes later, however, Frank Nazar regained the lead for the Blackhawks with his 13th goal of the season. That 2-1 score held through the first intermission. 

In the second period, the Devils severely outplayed the Blackhawks. New Jersey outshot Chicago 16-5, but thanks to Spencer Knight, only one goal was scored. Simon Nemec's game-tying goal made it 2-2. 

The final frame was a back-and-forth affair. Penalties had something to do with that, as the Blackhawks took a 3-2 lead with a two-man advantage. Frank Nazar completed a pretty passing play with him, Connor Bedard, and Anton Frondell for his second of the game. 

At that point, it looked like the Blackhawks were going to skate away with a win. Sometimes, coming up with that extra goal to reward a goalie is needed for the dressing room. 

That would not be the case in this one, as Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils took over from there. Working with one assist already, Hughes set up a snipe by Dougie Hamilton to tie things up at 3. His cross-ice feed gave Hamilton all the room he needed to challenge Knight's far side. 

Just 19 seconds later, Jack Hughes scored a goal of his own to give the Devils a 4-3 lead. To seal the deal, he threw one into an empty net to seal a 5-3 Devils win. 

In yet another game in which the Blackhawks gave up 40 shots, Spencer Knight kept them in it with 35 saves. Both Chicago goalies have been excellent, but the young defense in front of them is living up to their age and inexperience. 

Three young forwards presented a positive for the Blackhawks in this game. For one, Connor Bedard's 68th point set a new career high. He would have blown past that a while ago if he had never hurt his shoulder, but he has 8 games to build on that and go into next year ready to take another step. 

Frank Nazar's first career multi-goal game set and extended a new career high in goals. When he's going strong, the Blackhawks are a stronger team in all three zones and on special teams, and he's been going strong for the last couple of weeks. 

Anton Frondell had two assists in this game. It was his first career multi-point game, and he now has four points in four games played. He possesses a big shot, but he is still searching for his first goal to go with four assists. Based on his play, it won't be long before he finds that goal. 

This game was an improvement over the first three on the road trip, despite the loss. They played better and competed much harder. Spencer Knight masked some mistakes, but this is all a part of their process. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

from 0 to 95 in no time 🏁 pic.twitter.com/cgOKYp7XU3

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 29, 2026

scoring a goal, but it's #frankswaypic.twitter.com/6sUcTyWHiM

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 29, 2026

FRANK NAZAR'S ✌️ OF THE NIGHT!!!

A slick fake shot from Anton Frondell helps start the play! pic.twitter.com/rAhemm1VGf

— NHL (@NHL) March 30, 2026

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks will be back in action again on Tuesday night when they will be back at the United Center to take on Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Adam Sykora broke a scoreless tie early in the third period and Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves and the New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Sunday.

Sykora, a rookie who was a second-round pick in 2022, scored his second goal of the season at 5:10, tipping Adam Fox’s shot past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Conor Sheary then scored his fifth of the season — on a short-handed breakaway — at 11:14 before Fox added an empty-netter at 16:06.

Sykora also scored in the Rangers’ 6-1 win against Chicago on Friday. The Rangers are just 11-18-7 at home this season.

Florida’s Mackie Samoskevich scored with 40.2 seconds left to end Shesterkin’s shutout bid.

LIGHTNING 3, PREDATORS 2

NASHVILLE (AP) — Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists while Corey Perry broke a third-period tie to give Tampa Bay a victory against Nashville to move into first place in the Atlantic Division.

Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, who improved to 6-0-2 in the past eight games. Guentzel has scored in four consecutive games.

Jonas Johansson finished with 29 saves.

Joakim Kemell and Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators who hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference despite three consecutive losses. Justus Annunen finished with 25 saves.

CANADIENS 3, HURRICANES 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nick Suzuki scored two goals and had an assist to lead Montreal to a win over Carolina.

Suzuki fueled a three-goal second period for the Canadiens, who have won five straight and won all three regular-season games against the Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes.

Cole Caufield added a goal and assist for Montreal and goalie Jakub Dobes made 34 saves in his third win of the season over the Hurricanes.

Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes, and Frederik Andersen stopped 15 shots.

BRUINS 4, BLUE JACKETS 3, SO

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Viktor Arvidsson scored the decisive goal in the shootout and had three assists in the third period as Boston rallied from a three-goal, third-period deficit to defeat Columbus.

It is the ninth time in franchise history the Bruins have posted a three-goal, third-period comeback, and the first since March 13, 2018, when they defeated Carolina 6-4.

Fraser Minten also scored in the shootout for the Bruins, who have won three straight and five of six. The victory also kept Boston in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 92 points.

Pavel Zacha had two power-play goals — including the tying score with 11 seconds remaining — and an assist while Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist. Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 shots.

DEVILS 5, BLACKHAWKS 3

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Dougie Hamilton and Jack Hughes scored 19 seconds apart late in the third period and Jake Allen made 28 saves as New Jersey rallied to defeat Chicago.

With New Jersey trailing 3-2, Hamilton scored at 14:32 before Hughes scored at 14:51 to put the home team ahead and electrify the Prudential Center crowd. Hughes — who also had two assists — added his 22nd goal of the season into an empty net with 31 seconds left.

Connor Brown and Simon Nemec also scored for New Jersey, which has won six of its last eight games.

With the Blackhawks on a 5-on-3 advantage, Frank Nazar rifled a pass from Connor Bedard past Allen at 10:51 of the third for his second goal of the night. Ilya Mikheyev also scored for Chicago, which ended its four-game trip with a third-straight loss after resounding defeats to the Flyers and Rangers.

FLYERS 2, STARS 1, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trevor Zegras wristed a sharp-angle shot past Casey DeSmith with 1:33 remaining in overtime, leading hard-charging Philadelphia to a victory over slumping Dallas.

Travis Konecny scored in regulation for the Flyers, who are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. With 86 points, they pulled within two of both Columbus — which is in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference — and Pittsburgh — which is in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Samuel Ersson made 17 saves.

Rookie Arttu Hyry, playing his sixth game since being recalled from Dallas’ AHL affiliate, scored the lone goal for the Stars, who are in second place in the Central Division but have lost five of their last six. DeSmith finished with 28 saves.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Dougie Hamilton and Jack Hughes scored 19 seconds apart late in the third period and Jake Allen made 28 saves as the New Jersey Devils rallied to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Sunday night.

With New Jersey trailing 3-2, Hamilton scored at 14:32 before Hughes scored at 14:51 to put the home team ahead and electrify the Prudential Center crowd. Hughes — who also had two assists — added his 22nd goal of the season into an empty net with 31 seconds left.

Connor Brown and Simon Nemec also scored for New Jersey, which has won six of its last eight games.

With the Blackhawks on a 5-on-3 advantage, Frank Nazar rifled a pass from Connor Bedard past Allen at 10:51 of the third for his second goal of the night. Ilya Mikheyev also scored for Chicago, which ended its four-game trip with a third-straight loss after resounding defeats to the Flyers and Rangers.

Mikheyev started the scoring with his 15th goal at 4:19 of the first.

Brown tied it with his 15th goal at 11:15.

Nazar put the visitors ahead 2-1 at 13:11 of the first. A first-round pick by Chicago in 2022, Nazar was one of 11 players on the Blackhawks roster on Sunday age 23 or younger.

Nemec tied the contest 2-2 at 15:48 of the second with his 11th goal of the season, assisted by Dawson Mercer who was playing his 401st consecutive game to tie Travis Zajac for the franchise record.

Chicago will miss the postseason for the sixth-straight season.

Spencer Knight made 35 saves in defeat.

New Jersey is 10 points behind Columbus for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with nine games remaining.

Devils captain Nico Hischier played his 600th career game. The 27-year-old forward from Switzerland was the first overall pick by New Jersey in the 2017 draft.

Up next

Blackhawks: Host Winnipeg on Tuesday.

Devils: Visit Rangers on Tuesday.

The Buffalo Sabres appeared to be headed for another loss during on four-game homestand against the Seattle Kraken, falling behind 2-0  in the second period, but the goaltending of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and goals by Rasmus Dahlin and Peyton Krebs evened the score, and perfection from the Sabres goalie in the shootout earned the club a 3-2 victory on Saturday and kept Buffalo temporarily in top spot in the Atlantic Division. 

"I thought we got a heck of a night from our goaltender, because I thought defensively, we made some big mistakes. We put (Seattle) in a position to probably score four or five, but I thought UPL was really good for us." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. "We gave them a breakaway at the start of the second period on really a nothing play. We gave another three-on-one; we already had a D pinched in. Those are the things that we hadn't been doing.”

The victory ended the Sabres three-game losing skid, their longest since early December, just prior to the firing of GM Kevyn Adams and the club’s 10-game winning streak. Overtime losses to Anaheim and Boston, and a regulation loss to Detroit on Friday, allowed the Tampa Bay Lightning to gain ground in the Atlantic race.  

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

The Lightning were without likely Hart Trophy finalist Nikita Kucherov (illness) on the weekend, but they were able to post home victories over Ottawa and Nashville. Tampa and Buffalo are tied with 98 points, but the Lightning have a game in hand and more ROW (regulation and overtime wins). The two clubs face each other at KeyBank Center on April 6, in the most anticipated game of the season after the melee-filled 8-7 Sabres victory earlier this month. 

In league news, former Sabres assistant and Rochester head coach John Tortorella is back amongst the employed, as the Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday. Tortorella was relieved of his duties in Philadelphia late last season and was working as an analyst for ESPN. The Golden Knights, who the Sabres shut out 2-0 on St. Patrick’s Day in Vegas, have struggled in spite of an excellent season from former Sabres captain Jack Eichel. They have fallen to third place in the Pacific and are just four points up in the Western Conference playoff race with just over two weeks to go in the regular season.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

New Jersey Devils forward Evgenii Dadonov recorded his first point of the season in the team's 72nd game. ​

With 23 seconds left in a 5-2 loss to the Hurricanes, Dadonov scored his first goal as a Devil, the team's second of the game. ​

Dadonov, 37, has battled injuries, playing only 20 games after joining the Devils as a free agent on July 1, 2025. ​Dadonov has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the team.

​The Florida Panthers drafted Dadonov 71st overall in the 2007 NHL Draft.

​In his 13 years in the NHL, he has played a total of 637 games, tallying 362 points. He has played for the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Vegas Golden Knights, and Montreal Canadiens.

​Injuries, time on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), healthy scratches, and waivers have limited Dadonov this season. ​

Game 73 #NJDevils  Lineup:
Meier - Hischier - Mercer
Bratt - Hughes - Brown
Dadonov - Glass - Hämeenaho
Cotter - Bjugstad - Tsyplakov

Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Hughes - Kovacevic
Dillon - Nemec

Allen

— Kristy Flannery (@InStilettos_NHL) March 29, 2026

Sunday’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks had Dadonov in the projected lineup. ​The Devils have nine games remaining on their 2025-26 schedule. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Nashville Predators struggled to hold off the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, falling 3-2 for their third straight loss. The stretch also opens up a six-game road trip.

Filip Forsberg had tied the game early in the third period, tipping in a shot from Fedor Svechkov, but the Lightning responded two minutes later with a tap-in from Corey Perry, which ended up being the game-winning goal.

Nashville had a better start, outshooting Tampa, 10-1, in the first period and went on the power play four times. However, the power play unit went 0-for-4 on the night. 

*pats on head*

Nicely done Kemmy! pic.twitter.com/hUEVyPabb7

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 29, 2026

Joakim Kemell scored his first career NHL goal as he was taken down by Erik Cernak while driving to the net, and the puck deflected off Kemell into the net. It gave Nashville a 1-0 lead in the second period. 

Jake Gientzel scored to tie the game in the second and Brandon Hagle gave the Lightning their first lead of the game early in the third period. 

Justus Annunen made 25 saves on 28 shots, falling to 8-11-2 on the year. 

With none of the Predators' Wild Card competition playing on Sunday, they will remain in the final Wild Card spot with 77 points.

Nashville won't play again until Thursday, against the Kings in Los Angeles at 9:30 p.m. CST. LA, who trails the Predators by just 1 point, will play the Blues at home on Wednesday.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nick Suzuki scored two goals and had an assist to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

Suzuki fueled a three-goal second period for the Canadiens, who have won five straight and won all three regular-season games against the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes.

Cole Caufield added a goal and assist for Montreal and goalie Jakub Dobes made 34 saves in his third win of the season over the Hurricanes.

Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes, and Frederik Andersen stopped 15 shots.

Suzuki tied the game 1-1 by beating a diving Sean Walker to the net at 6:18 in the second period.

After a Dobes’ glove save on Jordan Staal with 3:13 left in the period, Caufield made it 2-1 after Suzuki drew two defenders to the left circle and gave Caufield a clean look at Andersen.

Montreal scored on the power play after a tripping penalty was called on Eric Robinson with 15 seconds left in the period.

Suzuki leads the Canadiens with 91 points. He has five goals and 12 assists in the past 10 games as Montreal vies for position in a tight playoff race in the Atlantic Division.

Svechnikov gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 8:37 in the first period. It was the eighth power-play goal in 16 opportunities for the Hurricanes but they went 0 for 2 the rest of the game.

The Hurricanes have won four of their last six game with both losses to Montreal.

Up next

Canadiens: At Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

Hurricanes: Visit Columbus on Tuesday.

------

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

LAS VEGAS − There's a new leader of "The Realm" on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Vegas Golden Knights announced the firing of coach Bruce Cassidy March 29, replacing their 2023 Stanley Cup-winning skipper with head coaching veteran John Tortorella.

"Bruce will forever be remembered with the utmost regard by our organization for what was accomplished here," Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a news release.

The dismissal comes with eight games left in the regular season for the Golden Knights, who sit in third in the Pacific Division. Vegas has lost six of its last seven games and only won five games since the league returned from the Olympic break.

The Golden Knights are on track to hit their lowest points percentage in the team's nine-year history. They have only missed the playoffs once, in the 2021-22 season, leading to the ouster of then head coach Peter DeBoer and Cassidy's installation.

The Strip dwellers lost to the Washington Capitals 5-4 in a shootout the night before the announcement.

"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.

Tortorella's 770 career wins rank second among U.S.-born coaches. He won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 but has not coached in the playoffs since 2020, when his Columbus Blue Jackets were bounced from the first round.

His last NHL tenure ended abruptly, having been fired in 2025 by the Philadelphia Flyers with nine games left in the season. However, the team was already out of the playoff picture by the time he was relieved of his post on Broad Street.

Tortorella's debut could come on March 30, when the Golden Knights host the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Golden Knights for further comment and to Tortorella through his Tortorella Family Foundation.

Contributing: Mike Brehm, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Golden Knights fire Bruce Cassidy, hire John Tortorella as coach

In a stunning decision late in the regular season, the Vegas Golden Knights have parted ways with head coach Bruce Cassidy, despite the team holding a playoff position with just nine games remaining.

The move has sent shockwaves across the NHL, as Cassidy had been widely viewed as a steady and successful presence behind the bench. Vegas quickly named veteran bench boss John Tortorella as his replacement, signaling an immediate shift in direction as the team prepares for the postseason.

Cassidy’s résumé speaks for itself. He led the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup championship in his first season with the club and compiled a strong 178-99-43 record during his tenure in Vegas. Prior to that, he enjoyed a highly successful run with the Boston Bruins, where he posted a 245-108-46 record and guided the team to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, ultimately falling to the St. Louis Blues.

He also earned the Jack Adams Award in the 2019–20 season and has been involved internationally, serving as an assistant coach for Team Canada at events such as the 4 Nations Face-Off and the recent Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.

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

The unexpected firing could have ripple effects across the league, including for the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg is currently navigating its second season under head coach Scott Arniel, but has struggled to stay in the playoff picture and remains on the outside looking in.

With the Jets facing an uncertain offseason, Cassidy’s sudden availability could present an intriguing option. Known for his structured systems and ability to elevate teams into contenders, he represents a proven winner with a track record of postseason success.

While no immediate changes are expected in Winnipeg, the timing of Cassidy’s dismissal opens the door for speculation. If the Jets decide a reset is necessary, bringing in an experienced coach with championship pedigree could be a path worth exploring as they look to return to playoff contention next season.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Montreal Canadiens are expecting Jacob Fowler to be a long-term part of their future. There is no question that the 21-year-old goaltender has a ton of potential, and he has undoubtedly shown that during this season. 

Fowler has played in his first 14 NHL games this season with the Canadiens, where he has a 7-5-2 record, a .903 save percentage, a 2.59 goals-against average, and one shutout. He also just had an excellent most recent appearance against the Nashville Predators, as he stopped 23 out of 24 shots he faced. 

Down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this campaign, Fowler has also impressed. In 27 games on the year with the AHL club, the 2023 third-round has a 19-7-1 record, a .916 save percentage, a 2.23 goals-against average, and three shutouts. 

Now, Fowler has made it clear that he is feeling right at home in Quebec. 

As posted by The Hockey News' Karine Hains, Fowler has switched the Florida license plate from the back of his mask to a Quebec license plate.

This is a cool gesture by Fowler and certainly shows that he is enjoying his time with the Canadiens organization. The Habs are lucky to have him, and it will be a blast to see how he continues to develop his game from here. 

Florida licence back plate is out, Quebec licence back plate is in! #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/rIFwz3APQS

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) March 28, 2026

Former Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella has shockingly landed a new NHL head coaching gig with the 2025-26 season just about over. 

The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that they have fired Bruce Cassidy as their head coach and hired Tortorella as his replacement.

Seeing Tortorella back as an NHL head coach is not surprising. The 67-year-old has had a long coaching career and won a Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, the timing of him landing this job with the Golden Knights is undoubtedly surprising, as Vegas has only eight games left this season. 

Now, the Golden Knights will be hoping that hiring Tortorella will provide them with a boost. It has been an underwhelming regular season for the Golden Knights, as they have a 32-26-16 record and 80. They have also lost each of their last three games and seven out of their last 10 games. However, with the Pacific Division being the NHL's weakest division this season, the Golden Knights are in third and should still make the playoffs. 

It will now be very interesting to see how much of an impact Tortorella can make behind the bench for the Golden Knights from here. 

It has been quite the season for the Buffalo Sabres. At the time of this writing, they have a 45-21-6 record and are at the top of the Atlantic Division standings with 98 points. With this, they have taken a massive step in the right direction and should make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. 

Clearly, the Sabres' great 2025-26 season has gotten their fans' attention in a major way. 

According to Pete Guelli, the Sabres have now had 14 straight sellouts. In addition, Guelli shared on X that they are the top team in local TV ratings this campaign.

Given how significant of a step forward that the Sabres have taken this season, it is entirely understandable that fans are very invested in the team right now. They have been one of the NHL's best stories in 2025-26, and fans have waited a long time for them to hit that next level. 

It will now be fascinating to see how the Sabres finish off the season, but it is clear that the fans are happy right now. 

Sabres fans performing as well as the team. Not surprised! #sabrehoodpic.twitter.com/xPJSc4qxcX

— Pete Guelli (@PeteGuelli) March 29, 2026

Bruce Cassidy, who led the Vegas Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, was fired Sunday.

The move was announced by general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who also confirmed that veteran NHL coach John Tortorella will take over behind the bench for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

Cassidy Fired

Cassidy departs after four seasons with the Golden Knights, highlighted by the franchise’s championship run in 2023. Despite that success, the organization elected to make a change as it looks to regain consistency down the stretch of the current campaign.

“We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons,” McCrimmon said. “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.”

McCrimmon added that the timing of the decision was driven by the team’s current performance and the need to reset expectations as the regular season enters its final phase.

“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.

Tortorella Takes Over Behind the Bench

The Golden Knights are turning to Tortorella, one of the most experienced coaches in NHL history, to provide a new voice and direction. McCrimmon pointed to Tortorella’s résumé as a major factor in the decision.

“With John Tortorella, we bring in a Stanley Cup Champion as well as one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the NHL,” McCrimmon said. “His guidance will be a great asset to our team at the pivotal point in the season we currently face. We look forward to welcoming John to Vegas.”

Tortorella arrives with 23 seasons of NHL head coaching experience, most recently with the Philadelphia Flyers from 2022 to 2025. His previous stop included a six-year tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he helped guide the franchise to its first-ever second-round playoff appearance in 2019 and earned the Jack Adams Award following the 2016-17 season.

Over his career, Tortorella has coached 1,620 NHL games—ranking sixth all-time—and has compiled 770 wins. His résumé also includes stints with the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2004.

The coaching change marks a significant pivot for the Golden Knights as they look to stabilize their play and push toward another deep postseason run under new leadership.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vegas Golden Knights fire coach Bruce Cassidy and name John Tortorella as his replacement.

Ahead of their matchup on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks, the Vegas Golden Knights have made a coaching change. Vegas announced on Sunday that it had fired Bruce Cassidy and replaced him with John Tortorella. The Golden Knights have been in a tailspin recently, with only three wins and eight points in their last 10 games. 

Tortorella's first action behind the bench will be against the Canucks, which he coached in 2013-14. That season went off the rails for Vancouver, as they finished with a 36-35-11 and missed the playoffs. Tortorella was fired at the end of the season and replaced by Willie Desjardins. 

Since leaving the Canucks, Tortorella has coached the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2017 and has made the playoffs four times since leaving Vancouver. Tortorella has also been heavily involved with Team USA and was an Assistant Coach on their 2026 Gold Medal Olympic team. 

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