Walking away from the Vegas Golden Knights' locker room after a crucial win, General Manager Kelly McCrimmon could have easily turned back for a triumphant moment in front of the press. While he'd likely insist it's too early for a victory lap—with the true test of the NHL playoffs still ahead—it's becoming hard to deny his bold gamble is paying off.

In a move that sparked immediate backlash, McCrimmon relieved popular coach Bruce Cassidy of his duties on March 29 and handed the reins to the fiery John Tortorella. The result? A stunning 7-0-1 run under "Torts" that propelled the Knights from clinging to a playoff spot to clinching the Pacific Division title for the fifth time in their nine-year history.

As they head into their playoff opener against Utah, the team is playing with a renewed swagger. Star center Jack Eichel, who just posted his second consecutive 90-point season, credits Tortorella with injecting a crucial dose of confidence into a roster that, just three years removed from a Stanley Cup, seemed to have lost some belief.

"Sometimes you need a reminder," Eichel said. "He saw we have a really good hockey team in here and we need to believe in ourselves and in each other. That's the first step to being a great hockey team."

The 67-year-old Tortorella, a Stanley Cup winner himself with Tampa Bay in 2004, promised not to overhaul a successful system. Instead, he focused on a few key points of emphasis, a strategy that has clearly resonated in the locker room. "I knew it was a good team coming in," Tortorella noted. "I think they feel good about themselves. When you win some games, you feel good about yourself, and hopefully we keep on building on that."

His subtle tactical adjustments have yielded major results, proving that sometimes a change in voice, not a change in philosophy, is all a talented team needs to rediscover its championship identity.