The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t follow the league’s protocol after advancing to the Western Conference finals — and it’s going to cost them. In a press release on Friday, the NHL announced the Golden Knights would be forfeiting a 2026 second-round draft pick, citing “flagrant violations” of the league’s rules on postgame media availability.
The move comes after most of the team declined to speak to media following the team’s Game 6 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. The Golden Knights defeated the Ducks 5-1 to win the series 4-2 and advance to the next round.
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Vegas reportedly did not open the dressing room to media after the game and only had a few players speak to reporters in a side room or at the podium, via The Athletic’s Jesse Granger. Head coach John Tortorella did not make himself available to media after the game and also did not join the handshake line, per The Sporting Tribune’s Zach Cavanagh.
In the release, the NHL said the franchise had been issued “previous warnings” about complying with media policies. The league is also punishing Tortorella directly, fining the coach $100,000.
Soon after the announcement, the Golden Knights said in a statement that they were “aware” of the punishment and had “no further comment.”
Per the league, the Golden Knights can appeal the penalties with an in-person meeting at the commissioner’s office in New York next week.
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Tortorella was brought in by Vegas in March after the stunning firing of head coach Bruce Cassidy with just three weeks left in the regular season. The gamble appears to have worked so far, with the team returning to the conference finals three years after winning the Stanley Cup in 2023.
With the win on Thursday, Vegas will face the Colorado Avalanche, with the best-of-seven series starting next Wednesday. Colorado, which finished the year with the best record in the league, beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 in the series with a 4-3 overtime comeback win on Wednesday.
The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26-27, with the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting first overall. Though the Golden Knights’ second-round pick is in jeopardy, they will still have a first-round pick; however, given their appearance in the conference finals, it will be a late pick.
