Since joining the NHL in 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights have been one of the league’s top teams.
They have made it to two Stanley Cup finals, winning one in 2023, and are back in it this season. They currently lead the series 1-0 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Most of their success is credited to the work of the front office. The front office is ruthless and unforgiving, but that mentality is what has made them one of the best front offices the league has ever seen, leading to great results on the ice.
The Knights have shown that hockey is a business, and business isn’t always merciful.
Head Coach Firings
When Vegas sees a problem with their coaching, they fix it, even if that coach has had prior success.
In 2020, the Knights weren’t playing their best hockey and were in the midst of a four-game losing streak. They took action by firing the only coach in the team’s history, Gerard Gallant.
This came as a surprise to many, as Gallant took the team to the finals in their inaugural season and had a record of 118-75-20. He also won the Jack Adams Award in 2018, which is awarded to the league’s best coach.
Even though it was a shocking decision, it paid off, as later that season, Vegas made it to the conference finals under new head coach Peter DeBoer. However, it wouldn’t take long for the Knights to shock the league again, firing DeBoer in 2022, despite bringing the team to the conference finals twice.
This wouldn’t be the last time the team made a questionable firing, as just this season, the team fired Bruce Cassidy with only nine games remaining in the season. This was one of their most cutthroat moves, as Cassidy, the guy who had won the Cup with Vegas in 2023, had the team positioned to clinch a playoff spot. However, the ruthlessness paid off yet again, as John Tortorella, who replaced Cassidy, has gone 20-4-1 since being hired and has brought them all the way to the championship round.
It doesn’t stop there, as the front office showed how cold-blooded they really are by refusing to give their Pacific Division rivals, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, permission to interview the recently fired Cassidy.
Cassidy showed he was unhappy with this decision, saying, “There were two teams that asked. It’s public knowledge now, and I would like to talk to them. I want to go to work. I’m a hockey coach.”
These moves may seem cruel and unfair, but it’s what makes the team so successful.
Trading Marc-Andre Fleury
In June 2021, Marc-Andre Fleury won the Vezina Trophy, given to the best goalie in the league. In July 2021, the Golden Knights traded Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks for minor-league forward Mikael Hakkarainen. To say this move was shocking is an understatement.
Not only was Fleury the reigning Vezina winner, but he was the face of the franchise. He even led the Knights to their first finals appearance. Vegas didn’t care about any of that; they only cared about making the team better.
Vegas traded Fleury in order to clear up cap space. They later traded for Jack Eichel just months later. Eichel was the main contributor to the Knights winning the cup in 2023, leading all players in the playoffs with 26 points.
This isn’t the only instance of Vegas making purely cap-clearing moves. Trades like Paul Stastny to the Jets and Max Pacioretty to the Hurricanes freed up millions of dollars, which were used to bring in gamechangers.
That’s what the Knights’ front office does best, as they don’t waste the money they gain from these salary dumps. Since 2024, Vegas has brought in players such as Rasmus Andersson, Tomas Hertl, Carter Hart and Mitch Marner. All of whom have been instrumental in their most recent playoff run.
The front office in Vegas is as aggressive as it gets. If there is something in their way, they take care of it. The Golden Knights would not be where they are today if it weren’t for the ruthlessness of the front office.
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