LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It's been quite a week for the Vegas Golden Knights, and it's only Wednesday.
A shutout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 ended the team's third run for the Stanley Cup in its nine-year history on Sunday.
Then, on Tuesday, General Manager Kelly McCrimmon announced that John Tortorella would not return to the team’s coaching staff following the 2025-26 season.
Then, just minutes before he was set to hold a press conference with local media Wednesday morning, the Golden Knights announced its new head coach in Ryan Craig.
All this coming after a season filled with player injuries, a compressed schedule due to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games and a late-season coaching change.
"It was a grind," McCrimmon said as he reflected on the 2025-2026 season.
You can watch his full press conference here:
Speaking of injuries, McCrimmon mentioned how William Karlsson would be undergoing surgery today after he broke his wrist in Game 5.
He also spoke to injuries suffered by Noah Hanifin, Brayden McNabb and Mark Stone, many of which, he said, would have benched those players for weeks if they had happened during the regular season.
"Aidin Hill miss 39 games, Carter [Hart] missed 34 games, and they both missed 22 of the same games," McCrimmon continued regarding the injuries the team has seen.
Speaking on Tortorella, McCrimmon said,"He saved our season."
Tortorella stepped in with only eight games left in the regular season after Bruce Cassidy was fired from the head coaching position in March
While his time with the team was short, Tortorella would end up leading the Guys in Gold in 30 games through the postseason and third Stanley Cup run for the team.
WATCH | Taylor Rocha heard from players and fans as they shared their thoughts on Tortorella's time with the team:
McCrimmon also said that Tortorella wanted to stay with VGK, but that the organization ultimately chose to give the opportunity to Ryan Craig. However, McCrimmon said he has passed the message along to the other 31 teams in the league that Tortorella wants to continue coaching.
Now, Henderson Silver Knights coach Ryan Craig has been announced as the next leader of the Vegas Golden Knights. McCrimmon said Wednesday, out of respect to Craig and his family, he would reserve that focus to a Thursday press conference.
While the season was certainly a challenge for the Guys in Gold, McCrimmon said it ultimately serves to make the team stronger.
"We sit here, it seems like forever ago we played Utah; it seems like forever ago we made a coaching staff," he said. "That body of work, for those players, it was a lot. With all of those elite events, it makes the team better. I'd rather have eight players in the Olympics than no players in the Olympics."
It appears to be a pressure similar to what turns coal to diamonds as Vegas is widely considered the most hated team in the NHL.
"I think people have a hard time explaining why we win the way we do," McCrimmon responded when asked about that. "People are uncomfortable admitting we do a hell of a job."
Now, Golden Knights leadership is looking ahead to the NHL Draft, which begins June 26.