John Tortorella has a lot on his mind heading into the Stanley Cup Final. And right now, his biggest worry is the long break. The Vegas Golden Knights have not played a game since Tuesday.

That is when they swept the Colorado Avalanche to win the Western Conference Final. By the time Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes rolls around on June 2, it will have been six full days. For Tortorella, that is too much time.

"Just that, the layoff … it's a lot of days, and I'll tell you right now, it worries the **** out of me," Tortorella said. The coach gave his players two days off after the sweep. Now he is hoping they can shake off any rust in time.

His tone softened a bit after watching practice. The team looked sharp and energetic on the ice. That helped ease some of his concerns.

"We have a good group that's going to handle it the right way," he said. "We have a plan to try to be as prepared as we can. I just worry about you losing your edge for just a little bit." Then he paused and added, "I trust the group."

This is Tortorella's first trip to the Cup Final since 2004. That is when he won it all with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 67-year-old says he does not take this chance for granted.

"One of the hardest things to do is get back," he said. "Some of the greatest coaches in our game haven't gotten there." The Golden Knights are now just four wins away from their second Cup in franchise history.

How Tortorella Turned Things Around for Golden Knights

What makes this run even more remarkable is how it started. Tortorella was unemployed when the season began. He took over from the fired Bruce Cassidy on March 29.

The turnaround came down to a few key changes. Tortorella, known for his strict systems, took a different approach this time. He treated his veterans like veterans.

He gave players like Mark Stone and Jack Eichel more of a voice. Instead of telling them what to do, he listened. That collaboration helped reset the team's confidence.

The style of play also changed. Tortorella pushed his team to play on instinct rather than overthink. He told them mistakes were fine, as long as they were made while being aggressive.

The locker room mood shifted too. Despite his sharp media reputation, Tortorella kept things positive inside the room. That helped rebuild trust between players and coach.

Tactically, he stayed flexible. He started using Eichel, Stone, and Mitch Marner on the same line more often. It was a bold move that paid off in a big way.

Now Vegas is four wins from another title. Not bad for a coach who was out of work eight months ago.

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Written by

Sahil Prashar

Edited by

Sahil Prashar