NHL Strips Golden Knights of Second-Round Draft Pick, Fines Tortorella $100,000 After Media Blackout

LAS VEGAS, NV — The celebration following the Vegas Golden Knights’ advancement to the Western Conference Final has been abruptly cut short. On Friday afternoon, the National Hockey League handed down severe disciplinary sanctions against the organization, stripping the club of its 2026 second-round draft pick and fining head coach John Tortorella $100,000 for what the league termed “flagrant violations” of postseason media regulations.

The Post-Game Blackout

The severe penalties stem from an orchestrated media boycott following Thursday night’s series-clinching 5–1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center.

The Coach’s Exit: Immediately following the final horn, Tortorella uncharacteristically skipped the traditional post-game handshake line with Anaheim’s players and coaches, heading straight for the team bus without conducting his mandatory press conference.
The Locker Room Lockout: Under standard NHL Stanley Cup Playoff guidelines, dressing rooms must be opened to accredited journalists within a strict post-game window. Instead, the Golden Knights kept their locker room doors completely closed, permitting only three players to speak at a side podium.

Insiders suggest the silent protest was a direct “temper tantrum” reacting to the Department of Player Safety’s one-game suspension of Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb following a major penalty in Game 5.

Repeated Warnings and the Right to Appeal

The NHL made it clear that Friday’s disciplinary action was not an isolated response. In an official statement, the league noted:

“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.”

The Golden Knights have been granted the right to appeal the ruling directly to Commissioner Gary Bettman’s office. The in-person hearing is scheduled to take place next week in New York.

The Strategic Fallout

While the financial penalty will hit Tortorella’s pocketbook, losing a second-round selection in June’s upcoming Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft erodes the team’s future asset pool. However, for a franchise notoriously known for trading away draft capital to secure immediate superstar talent—most recently acquiring Mitch Marner—the front office’s immediate concern is completely internal.

The heavy off-ice distraction arrives at the worst possible time, hanging over the locker room as the Golden Knights prepare to open the third round on the road against the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche.

Source: [NHL Media Bureau], [Las Vegas Sun], [The Athletic / Jesse Granger Wire], [Sportsnet].