As is the case for many trips to Las Vegas, John Tortorella was there for a good time, not a long time.The Vegas Golden Knights announced Tuesday morning that Tortorella, who was hired on March 29, will not be returning to coach the team next season. His tenure in Vegas spanned only 79 days, but included a division title, three playoff series victories and a Western Conference championship.Tortorella and the Golden Knights fell two wins short of a Stanley Cup title, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games on Sunday, and general manager Kelly McCrimmon ultimately decided not to extend Tortorella’s contract.“We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March,” McCrimmon said in a statement. “When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to the Stanley Cup Final. We are grateful for Torts’ passion, sincerity, and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best.”Tortorella stepped into the building and immediately flipped the team’s form. After losses in 12 of 16 games to end Bruce Cassidy’s tenure, the team won seven of eight games to end the regular season under Tortorella.“Torts was awesome,” Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore said. “I think he was really what our group needed at the end to kind of push us in the playoffs. A lot of credit to him. He was a fantastic coach. Obviously, he’s been around for a long time, and it was fun to be able to meet him and be a part of (his career).”With 24 seasons behind the bench, Tortorella is one of the most experienced coaches in NHL history. He began the 2025-26 season between coaching jobs, working as a television analyst. He ended it by winning a gold medal in the Olympics as an assistant coach for Team USA in February, then took over in Vegas with only eight games left in the regular season, and led the Golden Knights to the Cup Final.