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Normally, when a coach leads a team to the Stanley Cup Final, even if they lose, they’re back behind the bench the following season.
Not former Vegas Golden Knights coach John Tortorella, however.
Despite only taking over with eight games left in the regular season, he led Vegas to the franchise’s third Cup final in nine seasons.
But after Vegas dropped Game 6 to the Carolina Hurricanes, the team didn’t waste any time announcing that Tortorella would not be returning and that Ryan Craig — coach of Vegas’ AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights — was replacing him.
“I guess the word I’d use is ‘disappointed,’” Tortorella said. “I was honest with Kelly (McCrimmon, Vegas GM). We met the next morning (after Game 6),” Tortorella said in a new interview with The Athletic. “Kelly is very honest, and he let me know within one minute of sitting down in that meeting — he basically told me, ‘Ryan Craig is coaching the team next year.’ I told him what I thought, and we had an honest conversation. I truly respect where the organization is going.
“We didn’t finish the job, and I wanted some more time with that club to try to finish the job. That’s not my call. That’s the general manager and president’s call. You just get about your business after that.”
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It’s wild how much the Golden Knights embody their city, because, man, do they ever like to gamble, and they’re usually on the money. It’s insane.
Sure, Craig was the heir apparent, and they wouldn’t want to lose him after investing so much in his development.
But Tortorella is a Cup winner (22 years ago, I know, but it still counts), and really had the team firing on all cylinders… so they make a change?
Hey, their last gamble, axing Bruce Cassidy and bringing in Torts, worked out well.
But if the team struggles out of the gate, there’s a good chance the front office faces some questions.
