The Golden Knights have had some nagging issues all season, and those worries could no longer be ignored after the Olympic break.
They have posted the second-worst record in the NHL during that span due to poor goaltending, a failure to capitalize on the roster’s scoring potential, and a general lack of urgency.
Vegas has been able to roll with the punches, given how pathetic the Pacific Division has been as a whole, but realistically, something had to change if they wanted any semblance of playoff success. They can’t change the goaltending situation at this point, but they can alter the coaching situation. So out went Cassidy, and in came another Cup-winning veteran coach: Tortorella.
Tortorella could be the man for the job. He has experience with older rosters, and the Golden Knights are the third-oldest in the league. He does his best work with skilled players needing just a smidge of no-nonsense motivation, and this underperforming Vegas roster seems like a prime candidate for that type of thing.
Tortorella isn’t going to fundamentally change anything, but he doesn’t have to, and he could squeeze a round or two out of these Golden Knights if they buy in.