- The Golden Knights will forfeit a 2nd-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft
- Head coach John Tortorella has been fined $100,000 for “flagrant violations” of media regulations
- See below for the full NHL statement and what triggered the sanctions
The NHL dropped the hammer on the Vegas Golden Knights.
Less than 24 hours after John Tortorella refused to speak with reporters and the Golden Knights kept their dressing room closed following their Game 6 clincher against Anaheim, the league announced severe penalties. Vegas will forfeit a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Tortorella has been fined $100,000.
The league called them “flagrant violations.” The full statement from the NHL:
“As a result of flagrant violations of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Media Regulations following Game 6 of their Second Round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, May 14, the Vegas Golden Knights will forfeit a second-round pick in the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft. In addition, Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella has been fined $100,000. 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 been offered the opportunity to appeal these penalties to the Commissioner’s Office. That appeal would be held in person next week in New York.”
NHL statement, May 15, 2026
Tortorella skipped the playoff handshake line after the 5-1 win, beelined for the team bus, and never showed up for his postgame press conference. The Golden Knights also shut their dressing room to reporters. Only three players spoke with media.
The league made clear this wasn’t a first offense. The statement references “previous warnings” about the club’s compliance with media regulations.
Elliotte Friedman tied the whole episode to Brayden McNabb’s one-game suspension, calling it “a bit of a temper tantrum.” McNabb sat for Game 6 after hitting Ryan Poehling away from the puck in Game 5.
A second-round pick is not nothing. That’s real draft capital, gone because of a postgame media boycott. Reporter Jesse Granger of The Athletic said he’d never seen a team close its dressing room or a coach skip the podium in nine years covering the league.
The Golden Knights acknowledged the penalties but kept it short. The team said it is aware of the announcement and will have no further comment:
Vegas can appeal in person next week in New York. The Golden Knights open the Western Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
