Carolina immediately goes after John Tortorella after winning the Stanley Cup
Photo credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Carolina's chirp at Tortorella was perfect. But the real story is about a coach who had already agreed to leave Vegas regardless of which team hoisted the Cup.
The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the 2026 Stanley Cup with a 3-0 shutout of the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
After Carolina won Game 5 in Raleigh, Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella issued a guarantee to reporters.
"I'm going to leave my clothes here. At the hotel. We'll be back."
- John Tortorella
- John Tortorella
The Hurricanes' official X account replied within minutes of the final horn of Game 6.
"We'll send them to you. Might take a few days, though. A little busy."
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Carolina Hurricanes
The chirp landed. But what made it sharper than it first appeared is what Tortorella had already told the hockey world mid-series.
Tortorella was always going to leave
What Tortorella has planned going forward is the real story.
He acknowledged that general manager Kelly McCrimmon agreed from day one the arrangement of him acting as the coach of Vegas would run only through the playoffs, win or lose.
Tortorella was brought in March 29 after Vegas fired Bruce Cassidy, on a short-term deal covering only the remaining regular season and the playoff run.
Those clothes left at the Raleigh hotel were never going back to any coaching bench.
They were always going back to a free agent's luggage.
The real decision now falls to Kelly McCrimmon
The Golden Knights now face a full head coaching search with a championship-caliber roster intact.
Elliotte Friedman had reported that Vegas already had a succession plan in place regardless of Tortorella's results.
Rod Brind'Amour and the Carolina Hurricanes earned every bit of that final word Sunday night, with Conn Smythe winner Jordan Staal scoring in each of the first five Final games.
But the biggest question facing Vegas now was never about whether Tortorella would stay.
It was always about who McCrimmon chooses next - and that search starts this week.
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What Vegas did to Adin Hill before the Cup Final came back to bite them against Carolina
What Vegas did to Adin Hill before the Cup Final came back to bite them against Carolina