Who is Bruce Cassidy, and why did the Golden Knights fire him abruptly?

With just eight games remaining in a season that has been inconsistent yet still within reach of a playoff spot, the Vegas Golden Knights made a surprising move by parting ways with head coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday. However, the timing of the move caught many by surprise, especially since the Golden Knights hold a four-point lead over Los Angeles Kings for the third playoff spot in the Pacific Division. The team announced that veteran coach John Tortorella will take over behind the bench. Tortorella's Vegas debut could come Monday night when the Golden Knights host the Canucks.

Kelly McCrimmon, general manager of the Vegas Golden Knights, confirmed the decision a day after the team dropped its third straight game and suffered six losses in its last seven outings. Despite the recent slump, Vegas is still on course to secure a playoff spot. The 67-year-old recently served as an assistant coach for the US men’s hockey team that captured gold at the Winter Olympics in Milan last month.



Cassidy, 60, led Vegas to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2023 during his debut season, following a successful stint with the Boston Bruins. Despite that achievement, the team’s performance this season has dipped. The Golden Knights are heading toward their lowest points percentage (.541) in franchise history and have struggled recently, winning just one of their last seven games (1-4-2) while sitting third in the Pacific Division.

"We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons," McCrimmon said in a statement. "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. With John Tortorella, we bring in a Stanley Cup Champion as well as one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the NHL. 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."

According to the NHL, over 12 seasons, Cassidy has compiled a 470-254-96 record, along with nine ties, while coaching the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, and Vegas Golden Knights. He also holds a 62-57 record in 119 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Cassidy is the third head coach to be dismissed this season. According to the NHL, Rick Bowness was brought in by the Columbus Blue Jackets to replace Dean Evason on January 12, while DJ Smith took over the Los Angeles Kings after Jim Hiller was let go on March 1.