There is a growing focus on the Vegas Golden Knights as they try to hold their place in the standings, and Brady Tkachuk has now weighed in on the team’s latest move. Vegas has not reached last season’s level and has dropped important games in recent weeks. This led to a coaching change that has shifted attention inside the group and around the league.
With that move now in place, discussion has emerged on how the Tkachuks view the new coach.
Brady Tkachuk Supports John Tortorella Hire as Vegas Golden Knights Aim to Secure Playoff Spot
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk shared his view on the Golden Knights bringing in John Tortorella, and his comments gave insight into what the veteran coach offers. Tkachuk recently played under Tortorella, who was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Speaking on a recent episode of “Wingmen” with his brother, Matthew Tkachuk, and father, Keith, Brady explained how his time around Tortorella stood out. He said, “Yeah, I mean, I feel like just a short tournament, you know. I thought, you know, I think the group needed that, is to have a guy that will take it for the boys.”
Tkachuk also spoke about learning from Tortorella and said that being around him helped the group in different ways. Brady added, “I think I really liked spending time with Torts and just picking his brain and, you know, him just being around our group, I thought was great for us too.”
Tkachuk went further, explaining how Tortorella speaks to players during games, pointing to the short, direct messages that often come at key moments. He said, “He did say so many pump-up things, like little things in between periods, like what Sully would go. Yeah, and then, like, I was going to say TV timeout, then he would say something like, holy sh*t. So it always got me going.”
He added that those quick comments during breaks had a real effect on him and stayed with him even after the games.
The Golden Knights made the coaching move on Sunday, March 29, after a stretch where they went 4-10-2 since the Olympic break. The change came with only eight games left in the regular season, which made the timing important.
The team wanted a different approach going into the final stretch, and Tortorella stepped in right away. He led Vegas to a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks in his first game on Monday, which gave the group a positive start under him.
Vegas now holds a 33-26-16 record with 82 points and sits third in the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights remain in a playoff spot, but the race is tight, and there is little room for error. The Anaheim Ducks lead the division with 87 points, while the Edmonton Oilers sit close with 83.
With only seven games left, the Golden Knights need results to keep their position and avoid slipping in the standings.
