Jack Eichel and John Tortorella are suddenly part of the biggest story about the Vegas playoffs today. The NHL made it clear that the Golden Knights had already received warnings about their media rules and other policies.
The Golden Knights are continuing in the playoffs, but they will carry a penalty that affects their future draft choices.
On Friday, it was announced that Vegas lost a second-round draft pick due to a serious breach of the league’s media rules. Tortorella was also hit with a fine of $100,000.
This ruling came just a day after Vegas beat Anaheim 5-1, securing their spot in the Western Conference Final.
Here’s where things get interesting. A playoff victory should have been the main story. However, the coach not showing up after the game became the big news by the next morning.
Coach John Tortorella is facing a fine of $100,000 as well.
Vegas wins the playoff round, but loses favor due to NHL penalties. This is a tough situation for a team that has just made it to the Western Conference Final for the fifth time in nine years. Instead of discussing their matchups with Colorado and strategies for the games ahead, they now have to deal with questions about discipline.
This situation hits Tortorella hard. He was brought in on March 29 to energize the team before the playoffs. On Friday, discussions about him shifted from being about intensity to feelings of shame.
Inside the team, it’s clear that the challenge is big. Players can manage a loud coach, but they don’t want any distractions that could lead to penalties from the league during a crucial playoff period.
Kelly McCrimmon is now juggling two big challenges: securing Vegas’s spot in the next round and facing a penalty that takes away something valuable. Losing a second-round pick still counts, even for a team that is ready to win right away.
This is why this situation is important. The Golden Knights are still competing, still a threat, and still moving forward. However, Friday showed that missing just one press conference can lead to bigger problems than just having a rough game.
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