Insider Reveals Series of Events Leading to NHL Sanctions on Golden Knights

The NHL came down hard this past week on the Vegas Golden Knights, who were sanctioned with the loss of a second-round draft pick in 2026, and head coach John Tortorella was slapped with a $100K fine for not speaking with the media following their Game 6 series-clinching win over the Anaheim Ducks. On the surface, it sounded harsh. That is, until it was revealed that the NHL had warned the organization several times about other violations.

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During the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman revealed some of the past issues that the NHL warned Vegas about, leading to the decision to levy such a stiff penalty.

Friedman said the league had warned Vegas about turning down some league rights holder requests, which is seen as a big no-no. There was a request for someone on the Vegas roster (he didn’t say who) to wear a microphone during a game, which is customary in broadcasts these days. They said no.

Those two instances led to warnings from the league. Commissioner Gary Bettman decided the final straw was when the team essentially boycotted the required media avails after a big win.

Bettman considers it “paramount to the success of the league” that microphones are worn and that coaches and players make themselves available to market the game.

All that said, Friedman also noted that it’s possible the 2nd round pick punishment might be removed or reduced. While they refuse to make a comment on the NHL’s decision, Vegas will likely appeal the sanction.

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