The NHL announced Friday that the Vegas Golden Knights have been stripped of their second-round pick in this year’s draft and coach John Tortorella has been fined $100,000 for what the league described as “flagrant violations” of the Stanley Cup Playoff Media Regulations.
The sanctions follow the team’s decision not to open its dressing room to the media and Tortorella’s refusal to speak with reporters after Vegas’ series-clinching 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. The league noted that some players did address the media at the postgame podium.
In a release, the NHL said the penalties were imposed after previous warnings had been issued to the club about compliance with the Media Regulations and related policies. The league also offered the Golden Knights an opportunity to appeal the sanctions to the Commissioner’s Office at an in-person meeting that would be held next week in New York. The Golden Knights issued a statement on social media saying they were aware of the league’s announcement “regarding the postgame media availability” and would have no further comment.
The forfeiture of the second-round pick leaves Vegas without a selection until the third round of this year’s draft. The team already did not have its first-round pick after using that asset in a March 2024 trade to acquire defenseman Noah Hanifin from the Calgary Flames. The club now holds picks in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.
The NHL’s decision also means the Golden Knights will have no second-round pick for four consecutive draft cycles, per the report, after the club traded its 2027, 2028 and 2029 second-round selections in prior deals. The release added that, unless the team makes a trade to regain a second-round choice, Vegas has only selected in the second round twice since 2023.
The penalties arrive amid a busy period for the franchise. The club fired Bruce Cassidy in late March and replaced him with Tortorella, who led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup in 2024. Under Tortorella, Vegas rallied from a 2-1 series deficit to beat the Utah Mammoth in the quarterfinals and then defeated the Ducks in six games in the semifinals. The team is scheduled to open the Western Conference finals next Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver.
