Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon announced on June 17, 2026, that Ryan Craig has been named the team’s head coach, marking a pivotal shift in the franchise’s leadership strategy. Craig, 44, succeeds John Tortorella, who led the team to the Stanley Cup Final but will not return for the 2026-27 season. The move signals a confidence in Craig’s deep organizational ties and AHL success, though it also raises questions about the Golden Knights’ approach to coaching continuity.
Ryan Craig’s Rise from AHL to NHL Leadership
Ryan Craig, the former head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights, the Golden Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate, has been elevated to the NHL bench after a three-year tenure with the AHL team. Under his leadership, the Silver Knights achieved franchise records, including a 39-21-12 regular-season mark in 2025-26 and a second-round Calder Cup Playoff appearance. Craig’s AHL record of 96-95-13-12, as reported by NHL.com, reflects gradual improvement, culminating in a playoff berth. His appointment follows six seasons as an assistant coach with the Golden Knights, where he contributed to their 2023 Stanley Cup victory.
Craig’s journey with the franchise began in 1998 when he played for the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings, then owned by McCrimmon. This long-standing relationship, highlighted in The New York Times, underscores his familiarity with the organization’s culture and players. McCrimmon emphasized Craig’s unique advantage: “He knows the dressing room and the inner workings of the organization as well as anyone.”
Tortorella’s Legacy and Departure
John Tortorella, the 67-year-old coach who guided the Golden Knights to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, will not return after a brief but impactful tenure. His 79-day stint, which included a division title and a Western Conference championship, was marked by a dramatic turnaround. Bleacher Report reported that Tortorella’s team went 21-8-1 under his leadership, including a 7-0-1 record in the regular season. However, the Golden Knights fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games, a loss attributed to goaltending struggles, as noted in NHL.com.
For more on this story, see Staal’s clutch goals even Stanley Cup Final as Hurricanes beat Golden Knights 5-3.
Tortorella’s departure was framed as a mutual decision. McCrimmon stated, “We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for.” Tortorella, however, expressed mixed emotions, saying, “I feel very fortunate to get to know the team, get to know the organization. I wanted to coach. I want to coach.” His comments, per Bleacher Report, suggest a desire to continue coaching but also acknowledgment of the team’s direction.
Why Craig? A Risk or a Calculated Move?
Craig’s hiring represents a departure from the Golden Knights’ previous coaching philosophy. The team’s last three full-time coaches—Gerald Gallant, Pete DeBoer, and Bruce Cassidy—each had established NHL resumes before joining Vegas. The New York Times notes that Craig’s lack of NHL head-coaching experience makes this move “unlike any in the franchise’s history.” However, McCrimmon argued that Craig’s deep institutional knowledge justified the risk: “It’s rare for an assistant coach to survive one regime change, let alone three, and that’s what Craig did in Vegas.”
Craig’s path to the NHL bench included a pivotal role in stabilizing the team during a mid-season coaching change. When Cassidy was fired in Craig stepped into the interim head-coaching role, relying on his comprehensive understanding of the team’s systems to maintain stability while the front office conducted a thorough search for a permanent successor.
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