LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Ryan Craig discussed the impact of the Vegas Golden Knights’ former head coaches as the 2026-27 season begins, reflecting on his experience working under Gerard Gallant, Pete DeBoer and Bruce Cassidy, and playing for John Tortorella.
On Gerard Gallant
Craig said Gallant’s humility stood out to him.
“Well, humble. I think just a real…Every coach I’ve worked with is a good person, but Turk was himself,” Craig said. “He was a guy that got the most out of that group, as we all saw here. Just a real good leader of a group of men that year that just needed to be guided, pushed, prodded a little bit at the right time in a way that Turk could do it.”
On Pete DeBoer
Craig described DeBoer as detail-oriented and said the two remain close.
“Pete was a… he’s a tactician. He’s a very smart individual,” Craig said. “Came in, I learned a lot from Pete coming in with the details of the game. You know, a guy that…Still, I’m close with all three of those guys that I’ve worked with to this day. Pete came in, and we got shut down for COVID. We went through the bubble; we went through the COVID season. So there’s a lot of time for as close as that kind of staff was with Steve Spott and Ryan McGill and everybody there. We have a very good relationship for it being COVID and spending kind of that and our families together in that sense.”
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On Bruce Cassidy
Craig, who worked under Cassidy before taking a head coaching role with the Henderson Silver Knights, said Cassidy supported his transition.
“Bruce, we won. We won together,” Craig said. “Obviously, the last mentor I worked with before stepping into a head coach chair. Very, very fortunate how supportive he was for me to go to Henderson. The support over the three years and the relationship as our relationship grew as two head coaches. One, myself being at the AHL level, just leaning on him with having…He’s gone through that, coached in that league for a long time. Really respect the things that he was able to help me with.”
On John Tortorella
Craig, who played for Tortorella, said their relationship has continued since.
“Yeah, I give…Tort’s obviously first NHL coach gave me an opportunity to play at the hockey side,” Craig said. “As a coach, somebody I’ve kept in contact with as I got into this side of the business. And then to come full circle with him coming here. I guess how he included me or…You know, we had great conversations here in the time he was here. Not just about the team, but about coaching and life and all that. And yeah, I’d call him a mentor and a good friend.”
On his current role
Craig said he continues to enjoy his work on the ice.
“No, I enjoy my job every day,” Craig said. “I’m fortunate to be able to do it, to work with great people, to get on the ice, to run practice, to push these guys to try and achieve great things as a group. So, this isn’t work; this is my job, but it’s not work. It’s enjoyable; I come in every day with a challenge and move on to the next one.”
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