John Tortorella’s Golden Knights contract includes an unexpected clause

The Vegas Golden Knights absolutely stunned their fans and the entire NHL world today when they announced that not only were they firing head coach Bruce Cassidy, who led them to a Stanley Cup in 2023, but that they were replacing him with the hard-nosed John Tortorella.

Tortorella most recently coached the Philadelphia Flyers up until near the end of last season, having never reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs with them.

But his new contract with the Golden Knights carries an unexpected clause. Per analyst John Shannon, Tortorella was specifically hired for the last eight ghames of their schedule and the playoffs, and anything beyond that will be decided in the summer.

It sounds like this is an audition for Tortorella to potentially earn a longer term contract if he can guide Vegas to success in the playoffs.

Tortorella is now officially the fourth head coach in Golden Knights history, which began as an expansion team in 2017.

He follows Gerard Gallant, Pete DeBoer and Cassidy.

He led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup in 2004, and has also coached the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Flyers.

Also read on House Of Hockey :
Vegas Golden Knights hire John Tortorella, fire Bruce Cassidy effective immediately