Ryan Craig faces Lightning for first time as Vegas head coach
Tampa Bay gave Craig his NHL start; on Oct. 20, he leads the Golden Knights against his former club.
Ryan Craig will coach against the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first time as an NHL head coach when the Vegas Golden Knights host his former team on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The game at T-Mobile Arena starts at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The matchup brings Craig back into competition with the organization that drafted him in the eighth round in 2002 and gave him his NHL debut. He played most of his NHL career in Tampa Bay and was a teammate of current Lightning assistant Jeff Halpern and captain Victor Hedman.
Craig told the Lightning’s website that he still values the opportunity Tampa Bay gave him. His connections there include former teammates he remains in touch with, as well as Halpern, whose coaching career has put them on opposing benches.
“He was great in the room and a hardworking player,” Hedman said of Craig in the team’s feature.
Craig is in his first season leading the Golden Knights. He worked as a Vegas assistant from the club’s inaugural 2017-18 season through its 2023 Stanley Cup victory, then coached the Henderson Silver Knights before taking charge of the NHL team.
Across the benches will be Jon Cooper, whom Craig praised for his communication with players and his ability to keep a core group together. Craig described the meeting as an opportunity for his team while expressing respect for Tampa Bay’s organization.
