THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

New Golden Knights coach Craig 'ready' to continue winning culture New Golden Knights coach Craig ‘ready’ to continue winning culture 1st Vegas coach with no prior NHL experience takes over for Tortorella © Ethan Miller/Getty Images By Nicholas J. Cotsonika @cotsonika NHL.com Columnist June 18, 2026 Link copied Two comments stood out when the Vegas Golden Knights introduced Ryan Craig as their new coach Thursday, four days after losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The first came from general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who made it clear the Golden Knights had not lowered their standards. “We’ve always hired the best available coach, and that’s exactly what we’re doing today,” McCrimmon said. “We’re hiring the best available coach that’s going to lead our organization.” The second came from Craig, who made it clear he felt up to the challenge. “I’m ready,” Craig said. “I believe I’m ready for this.” This represents a significant change for the Golden Knights, who have hired veteran, accomplished coaches to great success since entering the NHL as an expansion team in 2017-18. Gerard Gallant had been an NHL head coach for parts of six seasons before joi…

Craig named coach of Golden Knights, replaces Tortorella | NHL.com Craig named coach of Golden Knights, replaces Tortorella 44-year-old guided AHL affiliate past 3 seasons, previously was Vegas assistant © Ethan Miller/Getty Images By NHL.com @NHLMedia June 18, 2026 Link copied Ryan Craig was named coach of the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. The 44-year-old replaces John Tortorella after the Golden Knights announced Tuesday he would not be returning. Craig was coach for Henderson of the American Hockey League the past three seasons. He joined Vegas' coaching staff for its inaugural season in 2017-18 and was an assistant for six seasons, including during its Stanley Cup championship in 2023. He then was named Henderson coach. "I believe I am ready for this," Craig said Thursday. "I have had the pleasure of being in the organization for nine years. It's been a privilege to work with the guys that I've been able to work with and I've mentored with, starting with Gerard Gallant, Mike Kelly, Ryan McGill through Steve Spott, Pete DeBoer, Bruce Cassidy. ... I am ready for this opportunity. I am grateful for it. Ready to get to work. I feel that we have a very, very good hockey team i…

Golden Knights introduce Ryan Craig as new head coach - KSNV Now 102° Fri 103° Sat 101° byMatthew Seeman LAS VEGAS (KSNV) —The Vegas Golden Knights have introduced Ryan Craig as the team's newest head coach on Thursday. Craig spoke to reporters alongside general manager Kelly McCrimmon from the team's headquarters at City National Arena. A member of the Golden Knights organization since 2017, Craig has spent the last three seasons as head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas' AHL affiliate. "I'm ready for this opportunity," he told reporters Thursday. "I'm grateful for it. I'm ready to get to work. I feel that we have a very, very good hockey team and a very, very good city." He becomes the fifth head coach in franchise history and succeeds John Tortorella, who took over from Bruce Cassidy in late March with eight games left in the regular season earlier this year. The Golden Knights went 7-0-1 under Tortorella and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, losing to Carolina in six games. Speaking Wednesday at his end-of-season press conference, McCrimmon said the team was grateful to Tortorella for his leadership. Tortorella was interested in continuing with the Go…

WATCH: Ryan Craig introduced as new head coach of Vegas Golden ... Actions Facebook Tweet Email WATCH: Ryan Craig introduced as new head coach of Vegas Golden Knights Posted and last updated By: KTNV Staff Prev Next KTNV LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — We would say welcome to Las Vegas, but the next head coach for the Vegas Golden Knights is no stranger to the city or the franchise. Ryan Craig spent the past three seasons as the head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights. Before that, he was an assistant coach on the Golden Knights' staff from 2017 to 2023, starting his tenure during their inaugural season and hoisting the cup in his final season as assistant coach. Now, he's back with the Guys in Gold, this time as head coach . FULL EVENT: Ryan Craig introduced as newest head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon opened his remarks by saying this is something that had been a long time coming for Craig. McCrimmon, who said he's known this new head coach since Craig was 15 years old, spoke to Craig's career, playing 200 NHL games, serving as an AHL captain for nine different seasons, to joining the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the staff and being an important part…

Golden Knights, Ryan Craig Agree to HC Contract to Replace Tortorella ... Former AHL head coach Ryan Craig will be tasked with helping the Vegas Golden Knights seek redemption from losing the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights announced Wednesday that Craigwill succeed John Tortorella and Bruce Cassidy as the franchise's next head coach. This marks the first NHL head coaching position for Craig, who has spent the entirety of his coaching career with the Golden Knights organization. Craig was named assistant coach ahead of the Golden Knights' inaugural 2017-18 season and served in that role during the team's run to the 2023 Stanley Cup. He was hired as head coach of the franchise's AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. The Silver Knights made the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time in four seasons this spring, although the team was eliminated from the second round by the Colorado Eagles. Craig will now hope his experience with the organization and his years of working with the team's top prospects will put him into position to help guide Vegas to more playoff success in the immediate future. He will return to Las Vegas after a…

Ryan Craig's journey to Golden Knights coach began as a player The Vegas Golden Knights formally introduce Ryan Craig as their new coach Thursday, June 18, 2026, at City National Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Mark Anderson) LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ryan Craig wasn’t ready to walk away from being a player, but he could see the end in sight in the early 2010s while playing in Pittsburgh’s organization and began keeping a journal of how he might handle different situations as a coach. Others also envisioned him in a leadership role, and Craig was nine times named the captain of an American Hockey League team. Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who has known Craig for nearly 30 years, saw that potential early as well. Craig became an assistant coach for theGolden Knightsin 2017 when they were about to play their first NHL season, and even as the franchise changed head coaches, he remained in some form. And now Craig is the club’s head coach, having beennamed to that poston Wednesday and formally introduced in a news conference on Thursday. “I’ve seen firsthand what he does to people around him, how he treats people,” McCrimmon said. “I’ve said to him many times, ‘Craig, you’re going …

Ryan Craig introduced as new head coach of Vegas Golden Knights <p>Ryan Craig wasn't ready to walk away from being a player, but he could see the end in sight while playing in Pittsburgh's organization and began keeping a journal of how he might handle different situations as a coach.</p>

Knights promote Ryan Craig from AHL affiliate to head coach - ESPN A day after moving on from John Tortorella, theVegas Golden Knightsannounced Wednesday that they have promoted Ryan Craig, who coached their AHL affiliate, to lead their NHL team. Craig, who is 44 and will be a first-time NHL head coach, takes over the Golden Knights after their season ended Sunday with a 3-0 loss to theCarolina Hurricanesin Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. He played for three teams over his eight seasons in the NHL. His playing career ended in 2017, with Craig transitioning into coaching months later. Although he never played for the Golden Knights, his connection to their front office goes back to his time playing junior hockey with the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. Craig, who was a two-year captain, played five seasons for the Wheat Kings at a time when current Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon was Brandon's GM and franchise co-owner. Vegas hired Craig as an assistant coach in 2017, and he remained in that role until 2023, when he was named the head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL. Craig guided the Silver Knights to the Calder Cup playoffs this season, and they ad…

Golden Knights hire Craig as head coach to replace Tortorella Golden Knights hire Craig as head coach to replace Tortorella Josh Wegman Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / Getty The Vegas Golden Knights hired Ryan Craig as their next head coach, the team announced Wednesday. The move comes one day after the club announced that John Tortorella wouldn't return behind the bench after guiding the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final. Craig served as head coach of the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights for the last three seasons. Before that, he was a Golden Knights assistant coach for six years under Gerard Gallant, Pete DeBoer, and Bruce Cassidy. He was on the bench when Vegas went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018 and won it all in 2023. The 44-year-old has known Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon since at least 1998. Beginning that year, Craig spent five seasons playing for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings under McCrimmon, who was the team's owner and GM. As a player, Craig tallied 32 goals and 31 assists in 198 career NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Columbus Blue Jackets. The Silver Knights went 39-21-6-5 this season before losing in Round 2…