The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the most noteworthy offseasons ahead of them. They must determine whether to re-sign Pavel Dorofeyev, Rasmus Andersson, or both. The Golden Knights are hurting for cap space and will need to make a move or two, as a result.
Whoever they extend will determine how the franchise to fare moving forward. You have a young, budding winger who led the Golden Knights in goals scored (37) and one of the biggest trade acquisitions from this regular season... at least during the time.
However, the biggest question facing the Golden Knights doesn't involve players. In fact, it has to do with whoever's coaching the team next season and beyond. That's right, dear reader. Vegas must make the tough choice of who will lead the team to potential glory in the future.
Obviously, two names come to mind during the search. Your interim head coach just led you to the Stanley Cup Final and revitalized your squad. But he's not the only option that Kelly McCrimmon has during the offseason.
Who should coach the Vegas Golden Knights in 2026-27 (and beyond)?
The Golden Knights are pressed with a massive problem regarding their next bench boss. On one hand, you have John Tortorella, the man who literally brought the Golden Knights within two games of their second Stanley Cup. On the other hand is Ryan Craig, an assistant coach who's familiar with Kelly McCrimmon and the Golden Knights organization.
Looking at the Golden Knights, you'll see that they're a veteran team. They were the NHL's second-oldest team in 2025-26 with an average age of 30.04. The edge automatically goes to Tortorella, considering that he's a tenured head coach who also has a Stanley Cup to his name.
You also can't ignore the Golden Knights' prior hiring habits for a head coach. Pete DeBoer? He previously coached the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers. Bruce Cassidy? He led the Boston Bruins to within a game of the 2019 Stanley Cup. Vegas prides itself on being a veteran-first team and that's no different with the guy behind the bench.
Is there a case for Ryan Craig to be the next Vegas Golden Knights head coach?
Craig does have an edge in organizational relativity, considering that he won a Stanley Cup as an assistant head coach. The Silver Knights coach actually served under the franchise's first three head coaches, sticking around since the first game. Therefore, don't discount Craig from being considered.
However, the biggest elephant in the room is still the veteran-led team. Sure, some players will be familiar with Craig from when he was an assistant head coach. But will that matter when you're on a Stanley Cup playoff run? That's the big question that'll plague the Calder Cup winner during the head coach search.
People will speculate about the looming contract extensions and what they'll look like. However, you can't ignore the looming head coaching search for the Golden Knights. Whoever gets hired will have control of the team—and its future—for the next few years.
