NHL fines Tortorella $100K, strips Golden Knights of draft pick after media blackout

The NHL fined Golden Knights coach John Tortorella $100,000 and stripped Las Vegas of its 2026 second-round draft pick Friday, punishing the club for what the league called "flagrant violations" of its playoff media regulations following Vegas' series-clinching win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

The sanctions, announced in a league news release, came after the Golden Knights eliminated the Ducks 5-1 in Game 6 at Honda Center to advance to the Western Conference Final for the fifth time in nine seasons. Tortorella skipped the traditional postgame handshake line with Anaheim's players, declined to meet with reporters and left the arena, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger. The team did not open its locker room, with only three players made available — Brett Howden and Mitch Marner at the podium, and one other in a side room.

Howden and Marner's availability, however, stood in contrast to the broader media shutdown. Jack Eichel sat with an on-ice reporter on the empty bench after the game and discussed the Golden Knights' upcoming series against the Colorado Avalanche, a conversation that aired on the national broadcast.

"John Tortorella declined to speak with the media after advancing to the Western Conference finals," Granger wrote. "I've been covering the NHL for nine years and never seen either of those happen once."

The NHL's release noted the penalties came "after previous warnings were issued to the club regarding their compliance with the Media Regulations and other associated policies." Vegas has been offered the opportunity to appeal to Commissioner Gary Bettman's office, with a hearing to be held in person next week in New York.

Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman suggested the conduct stemmed from the team's anger over the one-game suspension handed to defenseman Brayden McNabb for a hit on Anaheim center Ryan Poehling in Game 5. "I think it was a bit of a temper tantrum," Friedman said Friday on The FAN Hockey Show. "That thing last night was in reaction to the McNabb suspension. They were really upset about it."

McNabb was assessed a five-minute major penalty for interference and ejected nine minutes into Game 5 after delivering a late hit on Poehling that sent the Ducks center off the ice with an upper-body injury. The NHL's Department of Player Safety suspended McNabb one game, ruling he had sufficient time to avoid or minimize contact. Poehling did not return for Game 6.

Tortorella, who took over as Vegas coach March 29 after the firing of Bruce Cassidy, has a history of media-related discipline. He was suspended two games and fined $50,000 as Philadelphia Flyers coach in March 2024 for refusing to leave the bench after receiving a game misconduct. He was fined $25,000 as Columbus Blue Jackets coach in 2020 for abruptly ending a playoff press conference, a penalty the league collected on a previously issued conditional fine.

The Golden Knights, now 15-4-1 under Tortorella, open the Western Conference Final against the Avalanche on Wednesday.