Tortorella has at all times had an intense relationship with the media and has been identified to storm out of stories conferences, get into verbal back-and-forths with reporters, or refuse to take questions. However not exhibiting up in any respect after a series-clinching playoff win, and never opening the locker room to reporters, is taking that to a completely new stage.
It was speculated on Friday that Vegas was sending a message to the league that it was sad with the one-game suspension handed to defenseman Brayden McNabb, which stored him out of their Recreation 6 win.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman made that connection on Friday, speculating that Tortorella doubtless didn’t wish to discuss concerning the suspension, together with the group being mad about it.
It was a shocking resolution by the league, but it surely was additionally the proper name given the lateness of McNabb’s hit on Ryan Poehling.
The Golden Knights’ disagreement, whether or not it’s legitimate or not, doesn’t give the group the liberty to violate different guidelines. Particularly once they have already been warned about it this postseason.
Now it’s paying the worth for its conceitedness, and it’s a excessive worth. A second-round decide is important, and particularly so for Vegas. The Golden Knights are already with out a second-round decide in 2027 and 2028 resulting from prior trades, and after shedding their 2026 decide will now have zero second-round picks for the subsequent three years.
The Golden Knights are additionally with out first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 resulting from earlier trades.
That’s a number of draft capital out the door. Whereas they at the least have one thing to indicate for the prior picks within the type of trades, they are going to don’t have anything to indicate for this one.
If nothing else, that decide might have been a giant commerce chip for the Golden Knights firstly of the offseason, or allowed them so as to add a fairly proficient prospect to a skinny farm system.
Now they don’t have it.
With this nice, Tortorella has now been fined greater than a dozen occasions in his NHL head-coaching profession, accounting for a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars} in misplaced wage. He has additionally been suspended 4 totally different occasions.
