​Vegas Golden Knights president of hockey operations George McPhee has addressed the organization’s costly loss of a second-round draft pick. He admitted that mistakes were made after John Tortorella skipped a mandatory postseason media session.The NHL handed Tortorella a $100,000 fine after he failed to attend the required postgame press conference following Vegas’ Game 6 win over the Anaheim Ducks. The Golden Knights also violated league rules by not providing mandatory locker-room media access, prompting one of the harshest non-player penalties in recent playoff history.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDespite the appeal, the league upheld its punishment, leaving Vegas without the No. 63 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.MORE: Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin explains what stands between him and 1,000 NHL goalsSpeaking on The Cam & Strick Podcast, McPhee accepted responsibility while questioning the severity of the punishment.“We were wrong on a couple of matters there, and Torts was wrong in not doing it,” McPhee said. “He deserved a fine, and we deserved something. I thought the second-round pick was too high.”McPhee added that the organization challenged the ruling but ultimately accepted the NHL’s decision. He said, “That’s the decision that was made, and it should not have happened.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMcPhee revealed team executives were unaware Tortorella had skipped his media obligations until it was too late to intervene.“We just won a series. Everybody’s happy,” McPhee said. “Torts decided to blow off the press conference, and unfortunately, Kelly and I didn’t know about it until Kelly was on the bus.”He continued, “Then I heard about it the next morning on TV. So anyway, that shouldn’t have happened, and we paid a price for it.”The comments offer important context behind a controversial episode that overshadowed an otherwise impressive playoff run. Tortorella guided Vegas to a 7-0-1 finish after replacing Bruce Cassidy and later led the club to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe incident shows that playoff protocols extend beyond the ice. Teams are expected to meet league media obligations regardless of emotions or competitive circumstances.MORE: Canadiens’ true stance emerges after Anthony Mantha joins DevilsTortorella did not return for the 2026-27 season after his short-term contract expired. While the coaching change was planned, the lost draft asset remains a lasting consequence. McPhee’s comments make it clear the organization accepts responsibility, even if it still believes the punishment exceeded the mistake.