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Golden Knights claim they’re focused on hockey while doing everything possible to distract from hockey
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Michael Menzies
May 20, 2026, 18:00 EDTUpdated: May 20, 2026, 16:46 EDT
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The Vegas Golden Knights press conference with interim coach John Tortorella and general manager Kelly McCrimmon reminds me of the Worldwide Privacy Tour episode of South Park. 
“We want privacy! We want privacy!” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker put into the mouths of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. 
It was the phrase in the show they shouted during interviews, parading their signs, during their annoying media tour a couple of years back.  
Tortorella and McCrimmon must have left their picket signs on the plane flying from New York to Denver on Tuesday. They would’ve been useful props for their press conference.
“We’re focused on hockey! We’re focused on hockey!”
Okay, they didn’t say that exactly. But leave them alone, OK? Everyone else is making their self-induced-distractions distractions – not them. Don’t say it was them.
Vegas has been crystal clear here. Their focus is on the Stanley Cup playoffs. 
Don’t point out that this presser starts with the Golden Knights not talking about hockey, but of course, their massive penalty that cost Tortorella a hundred grand and the franchise a second-round pick and failed appeal. 
Vegas is focused on hockey. Fulfilling the minimum standards of media engagement gets in the way of the hockey, their only goal. 
What they did say, after McCrimmon threw Torts under the bus and commented on “cramped” dressing rooms in Anaheim, was this about one-time coach Bruce Cassidy:
“Regarding Bruce Cassidy, teams have asked for permission to speak with Bruce,” said McCrimmon. “We’ve been consistent that our focus currently is on the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the teams have respected that. I’ve spoken with Bruce. He understands this as well.” 
Why aren’t people understanding the situation like Bruce Cassidy understands? 
How could you expect Kelly McCrimmon to accomplish a task that would take one minute? An email, a phone call, a thumbs-up emoji distracts a man at the helm of a Pacific Division-winning team.
McCrimmon has pom-poms to dust, team meals to plan, and media requirements to coordinate and ignore. He must generally manage the real pressing issues.
To permit another team to speak to an ousted employee, something the Golden Knights did just two months ago to talk to Tortorella, would distract them from the ultimate goal.
Don’t you guys realize the Vegas Golden Knights are busy!

‘Weenies’

The dramatic irony of this situation gets me. A team that rightfully should be focused on hockey, says they’re focused on hockey, is creating distractions left and right for themselves.
Look, the Cassidy situation is scummy, but with recent information from the insiders, it’s allowed. So go on, look scummy then. I’m content, personally. 
If it’s within their rights to hold Cassidy hostage, then hold him hostage and pay him. It’s gamesmanship in Sin City.
But for a team so 100 per cent dialled in, focused on hockey, why continue a will-they-won’t-they situation with Cassidy? 
This story isn’t going away. This isn’t restricted to Oilersnation and Edmonton-centric media. Even Frank Seravalli called them “weenies” on Wednesday’s edition of Frankly Hockey. That’s got to sting.
McCrimmon’s vagueness in the statement of whether they’ll eventually allow permission is probably legally sound, but why let that stop you? If you’re not going to allow permission, then say it.
After six days off, the Golden Knights get to finally play hockey again. With how much focus they’ve spent on hockey, expect one of the greatest game plans we’ve ever seen. 
So be the bad boys. Former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis wouldn’t have hidden behind these maybes. He would have said, “Just win, baby.” 
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4. 

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