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NHL Notebook: Golden Knights lose draft pick over media dispute, Flames trade rumours heat up
Vegas Golden Knights John Tortorella
Photo credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Alicia LaBine
May 16, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: May 16, 2026, 13:01 EDT
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A controversial decision from Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella resulted in a forfeit of their 2026 second-round draft pick, and the coach was fined $100,000.
Tortorella was not present at the post-game interviews after the team had defeated the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6, clinching their Western Conference Final appearance against the Colorado Avalanche. The locker room was not open to media after the game, and the three players who were interviewed were in a side room, or at the podium.
During the podium availability from Mitch Marner and Brett Howden, Marner explained that they only had ten minutes for the media before Tortorella would “leave without them.”
In the NHL media regulation protocols, it is stated that it is the general manager’s responsibility to ensure that all players and head coaches are available to the media unless excused by the league. It is also stated that non-compliance may result in fines, and repeated non-compliance results in escalated fines, as NHL players and head coaches are contractually obligated to speak to the media.
“The imposition of these penalties comes after previous warnings were issued to the Club regarding their compliance with the Media Regulations and other associated policies,” the NHL said in a statement announcing the penalties.
On Friday’s Daily Faceoff LIVE episode, Tyler Yaremchuk spoke about the Golden Knights media debacle.
Tyler Yaremchuk:  Let me do my little soapbox rant…
 If you’re going to be someone who says, “I don’t care about media access,” then I’d better not catch you watching a single post-game press conference. I better not catch you caring who’s in the starter’s crease at morning skate, or what line combinations are, or whenever there’s a big, healthy scratch and we clue into it eight hours before puck drop, because the player stayed late in morning skate, and the media can connect the dots. There are so many things we get, because the media has access, and teams are forced to give that access. So, for Vegas to sit here, and for John Tortorella, of all people…
He’s been fired a lot during his NHL coaching career, but he’s a great coach. I’m not saying he’s not. He’s been fired a lot. But what happens two weeks after he gets fired? He’s been on TSN in Canada for a couple of years, then he gets another job coaching, and he does the same thing: yells at the media, gets mad at them, gives short answers, treats his press conferences like a joke, and then he gets fired. And then he’s on the TNT panel, being lovable, asking questions, all that stuff, it’s two-faced, and I just… I can’t stand it, man.
The Golden Knights made a statement saying they are aware of the punishment from the league, and that they have no further comment beyond that.

Flames expected to be big sellers in the offseason

Almost no one on the Calgary Flames roster is safe after the team finished 29th in the league this season, according to Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco.
The Flames were stockpiling assets at the deadline this season via trading stars like Rasmus Andersson, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri. This has found the Flames with two first-round picks (one is conditional) and five second-round picks (two are conditional) as pieces moving forward.
Di Marco reported that the Flames will be looking to gain even more draft capital in the 2026 offseason. He said only Dustin Wolf, Matvei Gridin, Matt Coronato, and Zayne Parekh are not on the trade block. Yegor Sharangovich, Morgan Frost, Connor Zary, and Joel Farabee were listed as pieces that the Flames would be looking to move, with Blake Coleman as the most likely to be dealt before next season begins.
The Oilers were among teams to have interest in Blake Coleman when he was a free agent in 2021.
Coleman has one year remaining on his contract at an AAV of $4.9 million, along with a 10-team approved trade list. He had 20 goals and 35 points through 69 games on a lacklustre Flames squad, and is someone who has had success in the playoffs multiple times.
In his career he has accumulated 12 goals and 31 points in 65 postseason games, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. Di Marco speculated that there will be a lot of teams interested in bringing Coleman’s experience to their roster.
The Flames’ rebuild is in full swing as they remain a seller this offseason. It is unknown how many assets the organization is looking to collect before beginning to retool the physical roster.

Hughes open to re-signing with Wild

Less than two days removed from the Minnesota Wild’s season, Quinn Hughes has stated he is open to staying with the Minnesota Wild.
“I really like it here,” Hughes told reporters on Friday. “I love the team… the city and the fans. Being in that locker room, it’s a special group. I would definitely be open to re-signing here with the guys that we have. There’s a lot of trust with [general manager Bill Guerin], as well.”
He says he can see himself winning with this team, and that he hasn’t talked to Guerin yet regarding his future in Minnesota.
“We will see what [Guerin] wants to do,” he said.
Hughes was traded to the Wild in December for Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren, Marco Rossi, and a first overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft. Since then he went on to have a strong regular season for the Wild, as they finished third in the Western Conference.
The defenceman still has one year left on his six-year, $7.85 million contract that covers next season, and he will be eligible to sign an extension with the Wild on July 1, that would begin at the start of the 2027-28 season.
Minnesota won a first-round series for the first time in 11 years this season, before getting eliminated in five games by the President’s Trophy championed Colorado Avalanche. Leaping over the first-round hurdle marked a great start for the franchise that is in their “win now” window.
Hughes was a massive contributor offensively for the Wild, as he logged four goals and 15 points throughout the team’s 11 playoff games.
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