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 of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
