(Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

With eight games left in a season that has been middling but still could result in a playoff berth, the Vegas Golden Knights abruptly fired coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday and said John Tortorella will replace him.

Cassidy, 60, guided the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup title in 2023, his first season on the job after six seasons coaching the Boston Bruins.

But the franchise is on track to finish with its lowest points percentage (.541) in its nine NHL seasons. Vegas has lost six of its last seven games (1-4-2) and sits third in the Pacific Division.

'We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons,' Vegas general manager Kelly 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.'

Tortorella, 67, was let go late in his third season leading the Philadelphia Flyers in 2024-25 and was not on a bench this season.

He coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup and has also led the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets. But he has not coached in the playoffs since 2020 with Columbus.

Tortorella is 770-648-37-165 as a head coach in 1,620 games across parts of 23 seasons. Cassidy is 470-254-9-96 in 829 games coaching the Washington Capitals (2002-04), Bruins (2016-22) and Golden Knights (2022-26).

Tortorella's Vegas debut could come Monday night when the Golden Knights host the Canucks.

--Field Level Media