John Tortorella announces departure during Stanley Cup Final

The Vegas Golden Knights are still battling for the Stanley Cup, but John Tortorella has already revealed that his time behind their bench will be coming to an end.

In an interview with Sportsnet, the veteran coach confirmed that his stint with the Golden Knights was always intended to be temporary and will conclude at the end of June.

“Everybody knows that I came on here and, end of June, I’m done, as far as with Vegas. And Kelly, and I made that agreement when we first talked,” Tortorella explained.

The timing of the revelation caught many by surprise, coming in the middle of the Stanley Cup Final with the Golden Knights still fighting for a championship. The ultimate series against the Carolina Hurricanes is now tied at two games apiece.

Tortorella was hired on March 29, 2026, following the dismissal of Bruce Cassidy. At the time, Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon turned to the veteran bench boss in hopes of providing a late-season spark and stabilizing the club heading into the playoffs.

According to Tortorella, both sides agreed from the beginning that the arrangement would be short-term, covering only the final stretch of the regular season and the team’s playoff run.

The veteran coach also acknowledged that retirement remains a possibility once his commitment to Vegas officially ends.

That means the Golden Knights could soon be searching not only for a new head coach, but potentially witnessing the end of one of the most recognizable coaching careers of the modern NHL era.

For now, however, Tortorella remains focused on one final objective: trying to bring the Stanley Cup to Vegas before his brief chapter with the organization comes to a close.