Stars Recall Cameron Hughes
The Stars have recalled forward Cameron Hughes from AHL Texas, per a team announcement on Monday.
Hughes is expected to dress for Tuesday’s game against the Bruins in place of Michael Bunting, who left Sunday’s overtime loss to the Flyers in the first period with a lower-body injury. If he does, it will be the 29-year-old’s first NHL appearance in nearly five years. He only has two games to his name, one each with Boston in November 2019 and May 2021.
A sixth-round pick by the Bruins back in 2015, Hughes has since become an extremely productive AHL mainstay. The first sign of a breakout came when the former University of Wisconsin captain had 21 points in 25 games for the Providence Bruins in the COVID-shortened 2021 season. He has since played a top-six, veteran leadership role on two-way deals in the Boston, Seattle, and now Dallas organizations.
Ever since that initial breakout, Hughes has produced close to a point per game but has never been able to crack it. He’s found a new gear in Cedar Park, Texas, this season. Through 63 games for the AHL Stars, he has a league-leading 50 assists and is tied for second in overall scoring with 66 points.
A one-time AHL All-Star who was part of back-to-back Calder Cup Final runs with the Kraken’s affiliate in Coachella Valley, he’ll now get a chance to play fill-in duties for Dallas down the stretch. He can play both center and left wing, an important factor for a club now missing four regular forwards in Bunting, Radek Faksa, Roope Hintz, and Sam Steel, plus frequent press-box option Nathan Bastian.
Senators, Kevin Reidler Agree To Entry-Level Contract
The Senators have agreed to terms with goalie prospect Kevin Reidler on a two-year, entry-level contract starting next season, general manager Steve Staios said. He will report to AHL Belleville on an amateur tryout to finish the 2025-26 campaign. Per PuckPedia, the deal comes with a $946.3K cap hit, a $990K qualifying offer upon expiry, and the following breakdown:
| Year | NHL salary | Signing bonus | Minors salary |
| 2026-27 | $850K | $72.5K | $82.5K |
| 2027-28 | $900K | $70K | $82.5K |
Reidler, 21, was a fifth-round pick by the Sens in 2022. Since then, he has appeared for four different teams in three different leagues. He remained in his native Sweden for his post-draft season, suiting up for AIK’s under-20 squad in that country’s top junior division.
The 6’6″, 203-lb lefty has played in North America ever since. He spent an additional year in juniors with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints before committing to the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2024 and arriving as their freshman backup the following fall.
Reidler played well for the Mavericks, but his playing time was extremely limited behind junior starter Simon Latkoczy. He only recorded eight appearances and five decisions but had a .920 SV%, 2.74 GAA, and a 4-1-0 record.
Once it was clear Latkoczy was returning to Omaha for his senior season, Reidler entered the transfer portal in search of more playing time. He found it at Penn State, where he served in tandem with undrafted freshman Josh Fleming. Fleming ended up winning out the starting job heading into tournament play but Reidler still managed 18 appearances, putting up an 11-7-0 record with a .901 SV% and 3.31 GAA.
With Fleming likely set as Penn State’s clear-cut #1 next season, Reidler’s options were to either stick around as his backup, enter the transfer portal again in search of a starting role, or turn pro and continue his development while under an entry-level deal with Ottawa. He chooses the latter, becoming just the third Sens goalie signed through next season behind Linus Ullmark and ECHL starter Jackson Parsons. Leevi Merilainen and Mads Sogaard are both pending restricted free agents under team control, though, so he could fall down to No. 5 on the depth chart if those two return.
As such, Reidler might get a spot start with Belleville in the coming days but is likely destined for ECHL time, as is usually the case with first-year pro netminders, out of the gate in the fall. Reidler was the #8-ranked prospect in Ottawa’s pool last offseason by Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff and held the same ranking in Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s analysis earlier this month. He’s not viewed as his ceiling being much higher than a #2/3 option, but his turning pro earlier than expected could allow him to get a leg up on the depth chart.
Sabres Expected To Activate Jordan Greenway
Sabres winger Jordan Greenway was a full participant in Monday’s practice and is a candidate to come off injured reserve before Tuesday’s game against the Islanders, per Heather Engel of NHL.com.
Greenway, 29, hasn’t played since Jan. 22 due to the effects of a lingering abdominal/mid-body injury. He has been dealing with recurring pain after undergoing two sports hernia surgeries in the last few years, but he told Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat last weekend that a new rehab regimen has left him with “zero pain” and that he’s resumed skating with no complications.
It’s evident that he’s been playing less than 100% for a good while now. He’s managed only 67 appearances since the beginning of 2024-25 and has a 4-9–13 scoring line and a -13 rating in that time.
Once a highly-regarded defensive winger in the Wild’s top nine, he’s never really had the impact the Sabres were hoping for when they traded a pair of draft picks to acquire him from Minnesota at the 2023 trade deadline. He did have a decent showing in his one full, relatively healthy season in Buffalo in 2023-24, notching 10 goals and 28 points in 67 games while averaging a career-high 17:15 per game, but the Sabres were likely still hoping for a bit more production given how much they were playing him.
Greenway is wrapping up the first year of a two-year, $8MM extension he signed just over a year ago – a puzzling decision from now-former GM Kevyn Adams in hindsight, considering the team was well-aware he was playing through a significant amount of pain. He’s expected to return to the lineup in a fourth-line role alongside Beck Malenstyn and trade-deadline pickup Sam Carrick, the most natural fit for him at this stage of his career and one he’s held almost exclusively when he has been in the lineup this season.
The 6’6″, 231-lb lefty’s return comes as they’re still projected to be without rookie Noah Ostlund, who’s missed the last two games with an upper-body issue and remains day-to-day. Zach Benson, who’d gotten some reps as 4LW with Carrick as of late, will continue to flex up into Ostlund’s third-line spot with Joshua Norris while Greenway gives Buffalo a far more physically imposing and defensive-minded archetype to slot into a checking role than Tanner Pearson and Tyson Kozak, who have slotted in the lineup with Ostlund out.
Penguins Recall Avery Hayes
The Penguins have recalled forward Avery Hayes from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, per a team announcement Monday morning.
Hayes, 23, sees his second recall in the past four days. After being sent back to the minors on March 18, he was summoned for a game against the Senators on March 26 but did not dress. He was returned to WBS on Saturday and played in the Baby Pens’ game that night against the Laval Rocket, making him eligible to come back up today.
Pittsburgh’s continued roster shuffling comes as they manage injuries to the two cornerstones of their forward group, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby has missed one game with a lower-body injury, while Malkin has missed three with an upper-body injury. Both were full participants in practice Sunday, though, and Crosby traveled with the team for their one-game road wing to visit the Islanders tonight.
That means Malkin will remain out tonight, but Crosby’s status – as well as the availabilities of Noel Acciari and Bryan Rust, who were absent from yesterday’s practice for maintenance but still traveled – is up in the air. In case all three can’t go, Hayes’ presence gives the Penguins enough healthy extras to still ice 12 forwards tonight.
An undrafted free agent, Hayes has rocketed up Pittsburgh’s pipeline with some spectacular minor-league showings over the past couple of years. Never has the 5’10” winger been more dominant than this season, tossing up a 22-13–35 scoring line in 39 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, leading them in goals despite playing in only 60% of their games.
However, he hasn’t been able to convert that production into meaningful NHL minutes across multiple recalls this season. In 11 outings, the Michigan native has scored twice with no assists and a -6 rating. Both of those goals came in his big-league debut against the Sabres back on Feb. 5, so it’s been several games now of Hayes not being able to generate chances. On his 10-game pointless streak, he’s averaged 11:40 of ice time per game with 28 shot attempts (13 on goal).
Hayes still has another season left on his entry-level contract and three seasons or 49 NHL games left before he loses his waiver exemption, so the Pens aren’t at risk of losing him as an intriguing recall option anytime soon.
Breaking Down The Future Of The Penguins’ Goaltending
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas faced a major challenge last year, juggling two inconsistent yet talented goaltenders on his roster while desperately needing stability. He knew he had a promising prospect in Sergey Murashov, but the young player needed time in the minors to develop, which meant Dubas had to rely on temporary solutions.
Those stopgaps have become Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs, who have formed a tandem that isn’t spectacular but has been enough to keep the Penguins in the playoff hunt despite some bumps in the road. As both contribute fairly evenly, with a rookie netminder waiting in the wings, this has created an interesting dynamic in the Penguins’ crease, potentially leading to some roster moves this summer.
One year ago, the Penguins had Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic as their goaltenders, earning a combined $7.875MM per season. Jarry, in particular, was earning $5.375MM and had three years remaining on his contract.
Dubas started the summer by trading Nedeljkovic to the Sharks for a third-round pick on July 1. Many questioned whether Pittsburgh believed that another goalie prospect, Joel Blomqvist, was ready to be an NHL backup, but Dubas quickly dismissed this idea by acquiring Silovs from the Canucks for a fourth-round pick and a prospect. Since Silovs had to clear waivers in Vancouver, they would have to let him go for free, effectively making it a discount. The trade meant Pittsburgh would begin the season with Jarry as the starter and Silovs as the backup.
Jarry actually started the season quite well for Pittsburgh, posting a 9-3-1 record with a .909 SV% and a 2.66 GAA. This beginning had Penguins fans calling for Dubas to act and trade Jarry to another team, even though his play was decent.
Dubas did just that, trading Jarry and his overpriced contract to the Oilers in exchange for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a second-round pick. The move was a surprising development since Pittsburgh retained none of Jarry’s contract, and it involved moving a player who had been on waivers the previous year.
It marked a turning point for Pittsburgh, as they effectively moved on from the volatility of Jarry and Nedeljkovic in favor of what amounts to average goaltending. Now, the Penguins face some decisions heading into the summer, as Skinner is a UFA on July 1 and Silovs is an RFA. It’s almost certain that Pittsburgh will retain Silovs and keep him in the fold, but Skinner is far less of a certainty.
AFP Analytics is projecting a two-year deal for the 27-year-old Skinner worth $3.86MM per season, but given the thin free-agent market and the lack of potential starters, that projection and term seem quite light. At $3.86MM, Pittsburgh would likely be in line to retain him and let Murashov develop in the AHL, but it’s unlikely Skinner would accept that deal now, considering he has plenty of leverage.
That’s where it gets interesting for the Penguins: if they let Skinner walk, they have his potential replacement waiting in the wings. But do they need to wait for Murashov, or is he the guy next year?
If the Penguins decide to make Murashov a full-time NHL player next season, do they trust that Silovs can step up and handle most of the starts? The 25-year-old Silovs has a projected AAV of $2.033MM on a one-year deal, which makes sense since he has shown he can play in the NHL this season, but he hasn’t proven he can be a consistent starter.
Silovs is 16-10-8 this year with an .890 SV% and a 2.98 GAA. Those stats don’t exactly scream consistency, but they are a noticeable improvement over his numbers with Vancouver when he was with the Canucks, and given his age, he can still improve.
Still, can the Penguins rely on him to be a full-time NHL backup behind an inexperienced rookie next season? It’s hard to say for certain, but Silovs’ underlying numbers don’t exactly indicate he’s a sure thing as a starter, and there’s no guarantee Murashov can play 50 games next season — in fact, there’s a good chance he won’t.
So, should Pittsburgh keep Skinner and Silovs and retain Murashov in the AHL? In an ideal world, yes, they’d hold onto both netminders for the next year or two, with Murashov excelling in the AHL, and then the Penguins would promote Murashov full-time.
However, Skinner will likely seek every year and dollar he can get, considering his career has been quite unstable so far, and it might be his best shot at becoming a very wealthy man. This means Pittsburgh has to decide if it’s Murashov or someone else.
It’s not ideal for the Penguins, as they probably don’t have a clear sense if Murashov’s ready to be the guy yet, and they aren’t likely to commit to anyone in free agency, nor could they even if they wanted to give the poor free agent market for goaltenders, so it really comes down to Murashov or Skinner being the guy next season with Silovs as their backup.
The most likely scenario is that Pittsburgh will offer Skinner a short-term deal to bridge the gap until Murashov becomes a full-time NHL player, while allowing both players to share duties in the NHL if Murashov is set to play full-time. Contractually, this would likely be a short-term deal in the $4MM–$5MM a year range.
Would this be enough to persuade Skinner to forgo free agency? Not likely, but if Skinner enters the market and doesn’t receive the salary he’s hoping for, he and the Penguins could revisit negotiations. However, he might also receive a lucrative offer from another NHL team, leading him to leave Pittsburgh, which could put Dubas in a tough spot.
Evening Notes: Tortorella, Lohrei, Olivier, Bunting
Earlier this afternoon, the Vegas Golden Knights sent waves through the NHL by firing head coach Bruce Cassidy and replacing him with veteran bench boss John Tortorella. Still, the Golden Knights didn’t give Tortorella a long leash.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Tortorella’s contract with Vegas only runs through the rest of the 2025-26 season. He’ll be guaranteed the last eight games of the regular season for the Golden Knights, and, assuming they make the playoffs, their last game of the postseason. Unless an extension is agreed to beforehand, the Golden Knights may be looking for a new head coach in a few months.
It’s a similar move to what the Columbus Blue Jackets did with Rick Bowness, albeit with much more time remaining in the season. However, even if the Tortorella experiment isn’t fruitful, the Golden Knights could explore a reunion with Peter DeBoer, hire Jay Woodcroft away from the Anaheim Ducks, or take a run at David Carle at the University of Denver. That’s all before any other teams make changes leading into the summer.
Additional evening notes:
- The Boston Bruins were without one of their top-four defensemen in their comeback win over the Blue Jackets earlier today. Before the game, Boston’s play-by-play broadcaster, Ryan Johnson, shared that Mason Lohrei is dealing with a minor lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Despite the Bruins’ success, Lohrei has had a difficult month, scoring one goal and two points in 14 games with a +2 rating.
- On the other side of the game, the Blue Jackets lost middle-six forward Mathieu Olivier to an upper-body injury during the game, as announced by the club. Olivier skated in 3:06 of action across six shifts, registering one shot on goal and two hits. His injury is likely connected to fighting Bruins forward Mark Kastelic late in the first period.
- Already dealing with a few injuries to their forward corps, the trend continues for the Dallas Stars. During their ongoing contest against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Stars shared that Michael Bunting is unlikely to return due to a lower-body injury. Bunting has not returned after skating for six shifts, and the injury update was vague.
Anaheim Ducks Recall Nathan Gaucher
3/29/26: According to the AHL transaction log, Gaucher has been recalled to the NHL by Anaheim. However, since he is not in San Diego’s lineup tonight, he wouldn’t be eligible for recall. The only exception would be if the Ducks recalled him under emergency conditions.
3/29/26: Gaucher has been reassigned back to the AHL, according to the league’s official transactions wire. His NHL debut will have to wait, as he didn’t dress for either of the Ducks’ two games played while he was on their NHL roster.
Though he returns to the AHL without having played in his first NHL game, Gaucher’s recall was not without at least some benefit. He received the pro-rated portion of his NHL salary ($855K) during the recall, a notable albeit brief pay bump. Gaucher’s AHL salary is $82.5K and he did not receive a signing bonus this season, nor is he slated to receive one next league year.
3/25/26: A recent first-round pick by the Anaheim Ducks could be making his NHL debut relatively soon. According to Derek Lee of The Hockey News, the Ducks are expected to recall forward Nathan Gaucher from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, with an official announcement coming later.
Gaucher, 22, has been playing in the Ducks organization for a few years now. Anaheim selected Gaucher with the 22nd overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft after he scored 31 goals and 57 points in 66 games for the QMJHL’s Québec Remparts, with a +30 rating. The 2022-23 campaign was Gaucher’s best at the major junior level, scoring 22 goals and 46 points in 44 games with a +35 rating, with another seven goals and 16 points in 18 postseason contests en route to a Memorial Cup title.
Since then, he has played professionally in the Ducks’ organization, exclusively for the Gulls. Unfortunately, his development, primarily on the offensive side of the puck, has stagnated somewhat. Throughout his three years in the AHL, Gaucher has registered 30 goals and 70 points in 185 games, but has set a new career-high this season.
Given his production in San Diego, it’s somewhat difficult to project Gaucher’s long-term path in the NHL. He’s an aggressive forechecker who isn’t afraid of physicality, with the vision to find his teammates relatively effortlessly. A good comparison would be Martin Pospisil of the Calgary Flames, a strong player who excels at moving the puck in a bottom-six role while averaging over three hits per game.
Bill Riley Passes Away At 75
In an unfortunate announcement from the team, the Washington Capitals shared that former player Bill Riley passed away at the age of 75.
In their press release, Washington said,
Bill was a true trailblazer in our game, becoming one of the first Black players to play in the NHL, following pioneers such as Willie O’Ree and playing alongside fellow Capital Mike Marson. His courage, perseverance, and passion for the sport helped pave the way for future generations. During his time with Washington, Bill exemplified leadership, professionalism, and dedication both on and off the ice. He carried himself with integrity and pride, leaving a lasting impact on his teammates, the organization, and the broader hockey community. We honor Bill’s legacy and the important role he played in growing the game. He will always be remembered as a valued member of the Capitals family.
The word perseverance couldn’t ring truer. Riley came from humble beginnings in Amherst, Nova Scotia, with his parents notably making great financial sacrifices to fund his hockey endeavors. Tearing up the Nova Scotia youth leagues, Riley was spotted by Tom McVie, who was scouting talent for his new team at the time, the IHL’s Dayton Gems, and offered Riley a tryout.
During the 1975-76 season with the Gems, Riley scored 35 goals and 66 points in 69 games and was offered a spot on the Capitals for the next season, following a one-game tryout with them the previous season. He stayed in Washington for the next three years, scoring 28 goals and 56 points in 125 games with 313 PIMs.
Taken by the original iteration of the Winnipeg Jets in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft, Riley finished his NHL career during the 1979-80 season, scoring three goals and five points in 14 games before being sent to the minor leagues. That would unfortunately be his last NHL appearance.
Riley continued his professional career in the AHL for several years, playing for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, New Brunswick Hawks, and Moncton Alpines before retiring at the end of the 1983-84 season. Riley won the Calder Cup with New Brunswick in 1982, scoring eight goals and 16 points in 15 postseason contests.
PHR joins the Capitals organization, the Jets organization, and others around the game in sending condolences to his family, friends, loved ones, and former teammates.
West Notes: Hintz, Faksa, Helenius, Hejduk
The Dallas Stars got a major boost to their forward corps yesterday when they welcomed back Mikko Rantanen. Unfortunately, they’ll likely have to wait until the Stanley Cup playoffs to have all of their forward depth back.
According to the deputy managing editor, Adam Kimelman, injured forwards Roope Hintz and Radek Faksa are more than a week and a half away from returning. Still, they are making positive strides in their recoveries, as both skated today and are expected to return for the postseason.
Like Rantanen, Faksa is dealing with an injury he suffered during the Winter Olympics in Milan. Meanwhile, Hintz has been recovering from a lower-body injury he suffered during the Stars’ loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 6th. Regardless, being one of only two teams to have already clinched a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Stars will spend their remaining nine games ensuring home-ice advantage against the Minnesota Wild in Round One.
Additional notes from the Western Conference:
- Team content manager, Zach Dooley, shared that the Los Angeles Kings were without forward Samuel Helenius at practice today. Dooley indicated that Helenius was “dinged up” in the Kings’ loss to the Utah Mammoth last night and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Helenius, 23, is in his second year with Los Angeles, registering four goals and eight points in 45 games throughout his sophomore campaign.
- The ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, the Utah Grizzlies, has brought in the son of one of the franchise’s former legends. According to Brogan Houston of Deseret News Sports, the Grizzlies have signed Marek Hejduk, son of Milan Hejduk, to a professional contract. Hejduk recently concluded his collegiate career at Harvard University, scoring two goals and seven points in 32 games throughout his senior season. Over his entire tenure with the Crimson, Hejduk registered 17 goals and 32 points in 124 contests.
Golden Knights Fire Bruce Cassidy, Name John Tortorella Head Coach
A massive storyline has emerged this afternoon as the Vegas Golden Knights have fired Bruce Cassidy and named John Tortorella their new head coach in an announcement from the team.
Currently third in the Pacific Division with more than an 80% chance to make the playoffs per Moneypuck, Vegas’ decision to part ways with the franchise’s most accomplished coach, in late March no less, comes as a shock. With just eight games remaining in the regular season, the group will now be led by Tortorella, who last coached with the Flyers until being fired 367 days ago.
In a statement from General Manager Kelly McCrimmon, he said “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”.
On Tortorella, he continued, “His guidance will be a great asset to our team at the pivotal point in the season we currently face”.
Sitting 19th in the league, it’s fair to say that Cassidy’s efforts came short this season. With 232 goals scored, 19th best across the league, they sit at -2 in overall goal differential. It’s a step below a team which had some hype as a Stanley Cup favorite in the fall.
The 60-year-old emphasizes an aggressive zone entry system with layered defense. Often tailoring his strategy to fit the skills of his players, roster construction has played a part in the Golden Knights’ performance this year.
The summer addition of Mitch Marner was a no-brainer, but it made the team even more top heavy. Depth scoring has been hard to come by, as Vegas has had to rely on various unacclaimed wingers in their bottom six. McCrimmon added depth forwards Nic Dowd and Cole Smith at the deadline, improving penalty killing, but hardly moving the needle offensively.
On the back-end, Vegas made a splash as they acquired Rasmus Andersson from Calgary in January. His underlying numbers have improved, but the 29-year-old’s adjustment to the Golden Knights after nine years as a Flame is still a work in progress. Alex Pietrangelo has been sorely missed, with his career in jeopardy from chronic hip issues.
Finally, goaltending has been another issue for the Golden Knights. Adin Hill, locked up for six more years, is having his worst season as a pro, with injuries a factor. Akira Schmid has held things down respectably, but he’s not a name any real contender would be associated with as their #1 option.
All that to say, Vegas management still believes the roster has more to offer than where they stand today, and they’re making a tremendously bold move in turning to Tortorella. Cassidy immediately becomes the top coach available entering the off-season, with a .630 win percentage including four 50+ win seasons between his time in Boston and Vegas, and of course, a Stanley Cup to boot.
Tortorella, a Stanley Cup winning coach himself (2004, Tampa Bay), is a veteran of 1,620 games behind the bench. He’s also a two-time Jack Adams winner, bringing in the award for the NHL’s best coach in 2004 and 2017. Last in charge in Philadelphia from 2022-25, he was unable to steer the Flyers into the postseason, and did not win more than 38 games in a season. The Massachusetts native had been filling in as an analyst with ESPN, also serving as an assistant on the gold medal winning Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Games.
His more “old school” approach with relentless work ethic and defensive responsibility brought success to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the late 2010s, able to get the most out of lesser skilled teams. The Jackets’ incredible sweep of the President’s Trophy winning Lightning in 2019 stands as the organization’s most proud moment. A franchise never able to find their footing beforehand, the Jackets turned the corner during Tortorella’s term.
How Tortorella may fit into a team like the Golden Knights will be fascinating to watch, especially with the season nearing its end. Never shy to criticize his players, his relationship with Marner, Jack Eichel, and the rest of the Vegas stars will captivate the league.
As far as mid-season coaching changes can go, Tortorella is always an intriguing candidate for his ability to change the culture. Some may be critical of his most recent Flyers tenure and its lack of on-ice success, but Philadelphia management sought out “Torts” to guide the team into a re-tooling period where they’d implement the “Flyers way”. It ended last March unceremoniously, but given their step forward this year, his imprints helped shape the team into what it is today.
With all of that in mind, his latest gig presents a challenge unlike any of the others. It’s hardly a “mid-season” shift. Tortorella inherits a skilled team right on the cusp of the playoffs, in a move that will be scrutinized for years to come.
If any club were to make such a ruthless and unexpected change, it would be the Golden Knights based on their history. They are on to their fourth head coach in nine seasons in existence; such change is despite missing the playoffs just once in that time.
Gerard Gallant led the expansion team to an unforgettable run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018, returning to the playoffs the next year, yet found himself out of a job the following January. Peter DeBoer then took over, leading the Knights to a dominant 2020-21 season where they tied for most points in the NHL before coming up short in the Conference Finals. After a respectable 2021-22 where they did miss the playoffs, he was subsequently dismissed, as Cassidy took the helm.
Much like his previous tenure in Boston which brought a Jack Adams in 2020, Cassidy had immediate success, leading Vegas to their best regular season in franchise history in 2022-23 by point total (111). He capped it off by raising the Stanley Cup, defeating the Florida Panthers in five games. The Golden Knights’ sometimes questionable moves had paid off; they’d reached the pinnacle in just their sixth year as a franchise.
Since then, they’ve won just one playoff round, as the success has been harder to come by. Still, the Golden Knights are right in the playoff mix. The additions of Eichel and Marner have the team set up for years to come, as they etch a new post- “misfits” era.
Now they’re starting over behind the bench yet again, as the trio of Gallant, DeBoer, and Cassidy all ended their tenure with win percentages over .600. In comes Tortorella, 67, whose .479 win percentage in his Flyers tenure came in at the worst compared to his previous jobs (Lightning, Rangers, Canucks, Blue Jackets).
With April just days away, Tortorella will have to hit the ground running, set to make his Vegas coaching debut tomorrow night at home against his former club in Vancouver.
Image Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports (Tortorella)
Image Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports (Cassidy)