Vegas forfeits 2026 second-round pick

The NHL said on May 15 that the Vegas Golden Knights will forfeit a second-round pick in the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft after what the league called “flagrant violations” of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Media Regulations following Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks. The league also fined Vegas coach John Tortorella $100,000. The penalties were announced one day after Vegas beat Anaheim 5-1 on May 14 to win the second-round series 4-2 and advance to the Western Conference final. The NHL said the discipline followed the club’s refusal to make required personnel available to reporters after the game and came after prior warnings to the team. ### What did the NHL say Vegas and Tortorella did after Game 6? The NHL said the violations came after Game 6 of the second-round series on Thursday, May 14, in Anaheim. In its statement, the league said the sanctions were imposed because of “flagrant violations” of playoff media regulations by the club following the game. (nhl.com) AOL, citing the league’s announcement and postgame events, reported that Tortorella did not participate in the required postgame news conference and that the team did not make players available in the locker room. Other reports said reporters were denied the usual postgame access after Vegas closed out the series. (nhl.com) ### How severe was the punishment? A 2026 second-round pick is the main competitive penalty in the NHL’s ruling. The league said Vegas will forfeit that selection in next year’s draft, and Tortorella separately was fined $100,000. The NHL statement did not announce any suspension or additional fine for the club beyond the lost draft pick. (aol.com) The league framed the decision as a response to repeated noncompliance, saying previous warnings had already been issued to Vegas regarding its compliance with media regulations and related policies. ### Why did the league mention previous warnings? (nhl.com) The NHL said in its May 15 release that “previous warnings” had been issued to the Golden Knights over their compliance with media regulations and associated policies. That language indicates the Game 6 incident was not treated as an isolated first offense by the league. NHL.com’s report on the sanction did not detail the earlier warnings or identify the specific prior incidents. (media.nhl.com) The league’s public statement focused on the postgame conduct after the Anaheim series clincher and the penalties imposed on the club and coach. ### Where does this land in Vegas’ playoff run? (media.nhl.com) Vegas eliminated Anaheim with a 5-1 win in Game 6 on May 14. NHL schedule listings show the Golden Knights are set to open the Western Conference final against Colorado on May 20, with Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT. John Tortorella has been on the job for less than two months. NHL.com reported on March 30 that Vegas fired Bruce Cassidy and replaced him with Tortorella late in the regular season. (nhl.com) ### Can Vegas challenge the decision? Vegas has been offered the chance to appeal the penalties to the commissioner’s office, the NHL said. (nhl.com) The league’s media site said that appeal would be heard in person next week in New York. The NHL’s announcement did not say whether Vegas had filed an appeal as of May 15. The next public marker in the case is that in-person hearing, while the team continues preparing for the conference final against the Avalanche beginning May 20. (nhl.com) (media.nhl.com)