Analysis of NHL Team Fines: Vegas Golden Knights Among Top 3 Most Fined Teams
The Vegas Golden Knights had a relatively clean season with only one incident, but still ended up as the third most fined team in the NHL this year. Canada Sports Betting analyzed fines, suspensions, and forfeited salary to determine which teams faced the most discipline. The league incurred nearly $900,000 in fines and suspensions, with $500,000 coming from forfeited salary due to suspensions. The Boston Bruins topped the list with $301,875 in fines, largely due to defenseman Charlie McAvoy's suspension for slashing a player during the playoffs.
Former Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella faced the second largest fine in the league, amounting to $100,000 and the loss of a draft pick for violating media regulations. The team's appeal against the sanctions was unsuccessful, resulting in the Knights not having a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. Despite only one incident, the Knights ranked third in the list of most fined teams, falling just $90,000 short of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had nine incidents throughout the season.
Other teams in the top 10 most-fined list include the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, and Dallas Stars. The Vegas Golden Knights' General Manager announced that Tortorella would not be returning next season, with a new head coach, Craig, taking over. Craig expressed readiness to lead the team in the upcoming season.