Hurricanes clap back at Vegas coach John Tortorella’s ‘leave my clothes’ comment after Stanley Cup win
· Yahoo Sports
The Carolina Hurricanes had the final word after capturing the 2026 Stanley Cup, and it came with a playful jab at Vegas Golden Knights coach John Tortorella.
Following Vegas’ Game 5 loss, with Carolina leading the NHL Final 3-2, Tortorella expressed confidence that his team would force a deciding Game 7.
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“We gotta find a way. I’m gonna leave my clothes here, that’s for sure. They’ll be in the hotel,” Tortorella told reporters.
MORE: Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour reacts after 2026 Stanley Cup win
The veteran coach expected the series to return to Las Vegas. Instead, Carolina closed it out in Game 6 with a dominant 3-0 victory at T-Mobile Arena.
Shortly after the championship celebration began, the Hurricanes’ official X account responded with a sarcastic message to Tortorella, saying, “We’ll send them to you. Might take a few days, though. A little busy.”
The post gained traction across the hockey world and highlighted the confidence surrounding a Hurricanes team that had finally broken through after years of postseason frustration.
Meanwhile, Tortorella’s mind game failed to work for the second time.
Columbus Blue Jackets analyst Brian Hedger shared on X, writing, “This is at least the second time Torts has gotten torched by this same, exact coaching mind game/stunt. Said the exact same thing in 2019, second round after #CBJ lost Game 5 in Boston to the Bruins to fall behind 3-3 in that series. Spoiler alert … they lost Game 6 at home.”
Carolina Hurricanes’ structure won the series
Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) raises the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The social media exchange was entertaining, but the bigger story was how Carolina systematically took control of the Final.
Vegas entered the series riding one of the NHL’s most surprising runs. After replacing Bruce Cassidy with Tortorella just eight games before the playoffs, the Golden Knights surged to a Pacific Division title and reached the Stanley Cup Final by sweeping Colorado.
However, Carolina’s structure gradually overwhelmed them.
After erasing a 4-0 deficit in Game 3 and pushing the contest to overtime, the Hurricanes became the better team for the remainder of the series. They limited Vegas to five goals combined in Games 4 and 5 before recording a Game 6 shutout behind rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi.
This series reinforced a familiar lesson, that the team structure usually decides championships. Rod Brind’Amour’s system consistently generated pressure, controlled possession, and limited Vegas’ scoring chances.
“I mean, this is a team,” Coach Brind’Amour said. “That’s the thing I love about it. It’s not about one player. And hockey is that, right? Hockey is a team sport. It’s the ultimate team sport.”
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Tortorella deserves credit for transforming Vegas into a contender in a matter of weeks. Yet Carolina’s depth, discipline, and defensive commitment proved stronger when the stakes were highest, leaving the Hurricanes with the Stanley Cup and the last laugh.