The Edmonton Oilers Should Hire John Tortorella
On June 16, the Vegas Golden Knights announced they let go of former interim head coach John Tortorella after he coached the team to the Stanley Cup Finals.
"We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March. When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season. Torts' experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to the Stanley Cup Final. We are grateful for Torts' passion, sincerity, and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best," Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a written statement posted to the team's website.
Though the Golden Knights made a long playoff run that ultimately culminated in a 4-2 series loss in the finals to the new Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, Tortorella had to have known this was coming.
After all, when he took over the Vegas head coaching job after the team fired Bruce Cassidy in March, the team made it very clear that he was being hired on an interim basis. So when McCrimmon said he wasn't bringing Tortorella back, it wasn't a surprise to anyone, even despite all the success he achieved in the playoffs with Vegas this year.
The Golden Knights are said to be promoting Henderson Silver Knights head coach Ryan Craig to be their next head coach, though the promotion has not been made official yet.
With Tortorella now back on the head coaching market, there is one team that should call him up immediately: the Edmonton Oilers.
Oilers Should Hire John Tortorella
The Oilers are still looking for their next head coach after they fired Kris Knoblauch following a surprising first-round loss to the Anaheim Ducks this spring.
Although Knobluach had guided the Oilers to two straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances against the Florida Panthers the two years prior, Edmonton lost both times, and after a disappointing end to the team's season this year, the Oilers decided to let him go.
Edmonton has spent the last month searching for its next head coach. At first, they identified the aforementioned Cassidy as their man, but the Golden Knights blocked the Oilers from interviewing him since he was technically still under contract with Vegas for another season, and they didn't want a Pacific Division rival team to hire him.
With Cassidy out of the picture, the Oilers have set their sights on Mike Babcock to be their next head coach. But Babcock is currently being investigated by the NHL over what happened following his resignation from the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, and there is no guarantee the league will allow the Oilers to hire him, pending the results of the investigation.
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If the Oilers are denied the chance to hire Babcock, then Tortorella would be the right guy.
Even if they aren't denied the chance to hire Babcock, the Oilers should still get Tortorella on the phone and talk to him about the job, and they should do it now.
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John Tortorella is the Perfect Hire for Edmonton
The Oilers are known to be looking for a hard-nosed, veteran coach who can help take them to the promised land.
Although it's been 22 years, Tortorella won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, so he's a proven winner in this league. The fact that he came off the couch and nearly guided the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup this year is proof that his coaching methods are still very effective despite being 67, which makes him the second-oldest NHL coach behind Rick Bowness of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who is 71.
Tortorella is not afraid to yell at his players, he's not afraid to go after the referees, and he's certainly not scared to talk back to the media when they ask him what he deems silly questions. He's been in this league for a long time, and he has been a winner almost every step of the way. So he knows what it takes to win, and his track record proves it.
The Oilers need someone who is going to get the most out of their roster, with Connor McDavid having just two more years left on his contract before free agency. Tortorella is that guy. He brings all of the things that Babcock brings to the table, but without the heavy baggage.
The Golden Knights may have blocked Edmonton from hiring Cassidy, but they can't stop them from hiring Tortorella. This is a golden opportunity that has fallen into Edmonton's lap, and the Oilers would be wise to run with it.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 5:52 PM.