The NHL has announced that the Golden Knights will forfeit a 2nd Round pick in the 2026 Draft as a result of “flagrant violations of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Media Regulations.”
John Tortorella has also been fined $100,000.
Following the Golden Knights’ 5-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center to clinch a place in the Western Conference Final, John Tortorella declined to attend the required postgame press conference.
In addition, the Vegas locker room was not opened to the media as it typically is following games. One player, Shea Theodore, was brought into an auxiliary dressing room to answer questions and his press conference was cut short by the public relations staff in less than three minutes. Mitch Marner and Brett Howden fielded questions at the podium, as is standard after a playoff win, but quickly made it clear they were in a hurry, with Marner even outwardly joking about it before even sitting down.
The Golden Knights insisted the team bus had to leave so they could make their flight.
The NHL added that “the imposition of these penalties comes after previous warnings were issued to the Club regarding their compliance with the Media Regulations and other associated policies.”
Vegas has the right to appeal, which will take place in person next week in New York.
leonard wise
This can become a distraction and the second round pick hurts. This should never of happened. If you don’t like what nhl did then say it.
Rick
Noticed that the post-game show on TNT seemed to go through three stop-sets before starting (about 8 minutes) rather than one, which surprised me because I always contradict ESPN for rushing out of a game to go to Baseball (or something that appears to interest them more) Wondering why that long break between the game and post-game was because they didn’t know where to go after the game with no Tortorella, closed dressing room etc – does anyone have any other ideas? and why the anger after the game? and losing a draft pick?… seem extreme Thanks
JAMES HENRY COOK JR
NHL can do with their regulations what they want and that’s shove it somewhere over there they can’t see the sunshine
larry
Excellent observation Rick, 100 % feel the same way about ESPN, like they are put off by actually having to eventually discuss the game that had just been on moments ago, but it was the endless commercials on TNT that had my wife and I cursing at the screen because we enjoy the commentary by their panel.
KnightWatch
Be interesting to see how this media availability debacle plays out.
It appears that both sides wanted to make a point. As was reported this isn’t the first time and were on notice.
It is part of an agreement to have media availability.
Seems likeTortorella could have easily given the typical 1 word no answers.
If Flight time/noise ordinance was the reason/excuse used that seems odd because what happens if there was OT.
Obviously this isn’t the first time they’ve played in Anaheim at this time.
As always there’s more to a story and two sides so no sense in hypothesizing.
We’ll see what happens next week, if they decide to appeal or just move on.
Think that will give us a little more context or at least how much if any their bothered.
The team has bigger things to deal with next week.
Hope someone is working on a game plan.
JAMES HENRY COOK JR
NHL can do with their regulations what they want and that’s shove it somewhere over there they can’t see the sunshine
DL
I see it as Torts, the team, and all of VGK coming together with a big F U to the league for the officiating overall and suspension to McNabb. Thanks to the NHL, Department of Player Safety, and ex-Ducks Parros and Getzlaf for the extra incentive to kick their ass and finish them off last night. More like Dept of BS! Hope the momentum of this and their stellar play continues for two more rounds. Then the organization can appeal this most recent BS!
Rick
Sorry, maybe some individuals, but I give the League as a whole credit for more integrity than that.
Henderson One
I understand that the airport was closing at 10:00 PM and the VGK had to dress and leave quickly to be able to return to Las Vegas last night. While there are many airports in the Greater LA area, driving through there is not easy and is time consuming.
hdbiker7851
If the plane was at John Wayne, they could move it to Long Beach or LAX – where there is no 10PM restriction. Why go to John Wayne in the first place knowing you can’t tell for certain how long the game might last, traffic is a nightmare all the time there to begin with so why add that pressure. Stupid planning and apparently costly like some of the contracts the FO has negotiated.
KnightWatch
Interpret this however you choose. Just adding some context
(LGB) Long Beach Airport
They did fly into LGB and leave from LGB this time not John Wayne as some online theorized.
For the 2 game stint (3&4) they flew into LGB moved the plane to LAX the day of departure and flew out from there.
They landed earlier that time then on Thursday. Departing LGB later
TS
Vegas airport closes up shop at midnight. No more flights in or out. My son is a Frontier mechanic, and i was surprised to find this out, esp as Vegas is.a 24- hour city.
I’m gonna believe the VGK on this one. Bad timing, but the team had to get home.
Richie-Rich
I call bullshit. What would have happened in OT or OT2? Why a rush to get back to Vegas? I don’t get it. Give the NHL media rules the respect that it deserves even if minimally. Losing a 2nd round pick over it? That’s just nuts. Give us back the pick and fine Torts $200K.
Richie-Rich
KEN!
What a RANT on your periscope! You been smoking some pot? LOL. What a very long explanation! Awesome Dude!
We all now understand your “context”!
Richie-Rich
hdbiker7851
RR – you don’t have to smoke it there the air is thick of it. Just another wacky thing about California in general LA particularly. The land of the fruits and nut – not sure which one is greater than the other.
Richie-Rich
Ken.
The Periscope on this reminds me of having to listen to my ex-wife try to explain to me how I pissed her off. Even after listening for an hour to her, I still had no idea what the hell I did!
I loved every single second of that “Scope”.
Richie-Rich
Ken Boehlke
I think “thanks” is the correct response to this but I honestly don’t know.
Richie-Rich
No, I got the long winded point of that scope. Give the NHL media rule the respect that it requires even if minimally. If this game had gone to OT or OT2 what then? The only thing that makes sense to me is that this was a “silent” protest over the McNabb suspension. But, then again it’s just my opinion.
JB
Whatever the truth is, tort can’t fight the rules. He is known for this, but during the playoffs? Not a good look. Also, we need all the draft picks we can get. Losing a second rounder hurts!
TS
VGK Mgmt knew exactly who Torts was when they hired him. No surprise Torts rocked the media boat. But this punishment does NOT fit TORTS infraction It clearly was intended to punish the entire team and the organization. BETTMAN, YOU SUCK!!!!!!
HSK
is Bettman gonna give the $100,000 to his favorite charity, his back pocket?
Torts should answer every question with this stock answer,,,,,”that’s fine with me”
maybe that is why the Vgk are not giving permission to other teams to talk to Cassidy. They may need to rehire him in a hurry if Torts implodes.
hdbiker7851
Rehiring Cassidy would be the best move the Knights could ever make, but of course we all know that would be admitting a mistake which McCrimmon would never admit to. Cassidy was the scapegoat to cover McCrimmon’s fat ass.
Larry
Stranger things have happened though I don’t anticipate that this move would be undertaken, but the Yankees of the 70’s into early 80’s basically did this kind of stuff with Billy Martin, Bob Lemon and Gene Michael.
Richie-Rich
The Yankees imploded in the 60s when they failed to keep Yogi on as manager!
Big moose
The best thing for everyone is if torts would just fade off into the sunset, he’s always been an idiot and he always will be.
Larry
As I’ve posted and said before on this subject , I couldn’t agree more!
TS
NOT GONNA HAPPEN..CASSIDY IS GONE.
HSK
gee, how much will the refs be influenced negatively against the Vgk by the commish’s harsh words and punitive actions ?
I thought it was bad before this happened, but now? ouch
Duckboy
Ken Boehlke must be ecstatic for this punishment after his post game youtube rant about torts not doing a presser last night.
The suspension by former ducks players is bringing the nhl into disrepute, not the lack of a press conference where the coach can’t speak frankly about how we are getting jobbed by the league.
You want to talk about creating us against the world motivation. NHL has it in for the knights. Go stick it to em boys!
Duckboy
I posted the above without watching Ken’s deep and meaningful video (imagine sarcastic voice here).
Real summary
– Ken’s livelihood is linked to coverage so he is glad this happened even though this will hurt the team long term and possibly his future engagement.
– Ken says the “truth” unless his credentials get threatened
– we NEVER learn anything from a press conference or in game interview. They are sanitized cliche answers. Plus press cannot ask any question they want or press will get kicked. What you should be pushing for is more 1:1 coverage.
– what should be unacceptable to the nhl is having a clearly compromised player safety office. How about focusing on this ken? Oh yeah he may not be allowed to cover the nhl if he tried to cover this. Or you are too Pollyanna to think there could be a bias here.
– “independent” – lol. Under the team and nhl thumb . Openly admits he can’t ask some questions but is independent
– Ken will get banned when he asks why the torts doesnt go through the hand shake line. So he will never ask this question
– you are blind if you think the links to former players don’t matter. As a matter of fact you haven’t even investigated it, but probably can’t so you won’t lose your credentials. Look up the Tampa suspensions from their preseason game with Florida where Florida got NO player hearings in a game with over 300’penalty minutes
Overall, Ken, I recommend don’t cover this topic anymore as you are too compromised and focused on the wrong things. your glee on the penalty so that you might get to ask more benign curated questions demonstrates this.
Start covering the fucking next round.
Duckboy
Last point, maybe this actually works for the team.
Marner playoff awaking in a less media pressure environment is the perfect example of how media coverage can destroy the product as well.
Tim
The NHL hates Vegas 5 trips to the west finals in 9 years and it should have been 6 with the san Jose debacle. Toronto gets first draft after shitty season you can believe it wasn’t rigged but lets see Toronto Has the Hall of Fame, Toronto base for replays, Toronto media is brutal when Toronto sucks. I agree with another poster we gave the NHL the F-you for the ridiculous 5 minute penalty and more bullshit McNabb suspended which also was a joke. The NHL is a bunch of crooked Canadians who can’t stand Vegas and there success.
hdbiker7851
Come on Tim that rant was on the same line as Ken’s but just opposite. There are rules and regulations that are made to be followed. I agree the suspension to McNabb is bull shit and those that decided on it raises more questions than it addresses. Tort has been around long enough and knows better and the FO is as much to blame as he is. If I am not mistaken about Vegas success you were one that has stated on numerous occasions they are not that great.- just saying!
Tim
So your saying as shitty as that game was referred we just sit back and take it so the league isn’t embarrassed. I’m sorry F-mumg and the horse they road in on. How about this where was our compensation after the San Jose debacle which put us out of the tournament. Maybe we should have been rewarded a extra first round pick my the leagues logic.
A Al
Absolutely ridiculous. A fine, okay maybe. Loss of draft pick? Totally absurd.
hdbiker7851
Certainly agree there, not sure how one has anything to do with the other, however, that said apparently Vegas pushes or ignores some rules and they thought it was time to make them accountable for their actions. My bigger issue is with the makeup of the player safety committee or whatever they call themselves. No one on that committee should have any alignment past, present or future with any team.
TS
Out of line, agreed. A fine to TORTS?.absolutely. punish the team by taking the pick from.us?? Is there a thinly veiled conspiracy to demean and diminish out team?? Yup. I’ll bite
.
DayEffingOneFan
OMG. A full hour of self-important ranting over your job? Here’s the Taylor Swift version: shake it off. Nobody gives a flying duck about your personal narratives. We’re here to support VGK, not your ego or your job security.
All you’ve done, Ken, is hand ammunition to every anti-VGK fan out there. You’ve poured gasoline on a tiny issue and turned it into a circus so people can point at this team, this coach, this goalie, and this fanbase and call them a joke. Congratulations — that’s your contribution.
Instead of backing one of the most successful franchises in hockey, despite every narrative stacked against them, you chose to amplify drama like it’s some massive moral crisis threatening the sport itself. It’s pathetic.
So pick a side already. Are you actually a VGK supporter, or is this just another gig where you cash in on outrage and attention? Because right now it sounds like you care far more about yourself than the team or the fans.
That’s fine. My response is simple: I won’t support your website, I won’t support your sponsors, and I genuinely hope VGK revokes your credentials so you can go cover a team you actually respect.
DeezNutz
Just appeal it and Gary Bettman the gutless coward will give us our 2nd rd pick back.
Old George Paros is clearly mad his Ducks didn’t make the conference final. Maybe next time George.
Duckboy
They will have to fire the media head to scapegoat here for contrition.
JB
On second thought: We have been giving away picks for nine years, and we still keep winning!
knights fan in minny
Well said JB
Mike Paine
If the penalties stick, that 2nd rounder is going to hurt.
Brad
Ken, why is the media so soft here? Granger asked one question about the no show. One simple question, Coach Torts…do you believe you owe the fan base an apology? The media members here are so soft, they never follow up and never ask tough questions.
Ken Boehlke
When someone says “we will have no further comment on that” following up is a dead end that will only cause problems. Obviously, no matter what the next question was regarding the topic he would have answered “we will have no further comment on that.” Now, we appear to be pestering. Also, we are tasked with asking questions day after day after day which means our relationship with the coach does matter in regards to getting at least some information out of him. Obviously there are moments where we know we will have to ask something he’s not going to like, and we do it every single time (I’ll provide examples if you would like), but there’s a fine line that we have to walk daily.
Also, the soft thing is hilarious to me. Any other teams getting docked 2nd round picks for ducking the media? We must not be that soft?!? (I’m joking… kinda)