Flyers

Torts Didn’t Speak to the Media After Vegas Advanced to the Western Conference Finals, but I Imagine This is What He Would Have Said

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: May 15th, 2026 · 9:50 AM EDT

---

The Vegas Golden Knights smoked the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night to win their Western Conference Semifinal four games to two, setting up a (hopefully) great series with the Colorado Avalanche.

Just like we all predicted several months ago, John Tortorella and Carter Hart are leading the Knights to playoff glory. Torts didn’t talk about it after the game, though:

John Tortorella declined to speak with the media after advancing to the Western Conference finals.

The Golden Knights also didn’t open the dressing room after the game. They brought 1 player into a side room to speak, along with the two who spoke at the podium.

I’ve been…

— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) May 15, 2026

This is the most Torts thing ever. Just Torts being Torts. He wasn’t even in the handshake line, though apparently he did go over and talk to the Anaheim coaching staff before leaving the arena.

There was some chatter that Vegas had a bus to catch, and a flight that was leaving pretty quickly after the game, but the players were in the handshake line and a couple of them spoke afterward, so I dunno. I was hoping we’d get to see a Torts interaction with Cutter Gauthier.

Anyway, if Torts DID speak to the media, this is probably how it would have gone:

Reporter: John, how does it feel to be in the Western Conference Final?

Torts: I really don’t give a shit.

Reporter: Carter Hart was great tonight. 32 saves on 33 shots. What did you make of his performance and how he’s handled himself in the playoffs?

Torts: He played well. He’s been good in the playoffs.

Reporter: You didn’t go into the handshake line after the game. Why?

Torts: I’m not going to explain that to you.

Reporter (follow up): Do you think it was disrespectful?

Torts: I really don’t give a flying shit. I said I’m not going to explain it to you.

Reporter: You’re going to be an underdog against Colorado. Does that motivate the team?

Torts: No. That’s a bunch of bullshit.

Reporter: Was there any lingering animosity with Cutter Gauthier, considering the way he left Philadelphia?

Torts: I don’t know Cutter Gauthier from a hole in the wall. Ask me about my team.

Reporter: What did you think of the crazy goal that Mitch Marner scored?

Torts: It was a good goal.

(press conference ends with a total running time of 87 seconds)

Now listen, the Avalanche are a machine, much like the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference. But you never know what can happen in the playoffs. Maybe Vegas makes this a series. If nothing else, at least we get another week or two of Torts content.