Amid interest from Connor McDavid’s Oilers, Bruce Cassidy reveals wish to join contender

Bruce Cassidy has become the top candidate in the NHL‘s head coaching carousel. And considering Connor McDavid has witnessed yet another bench-boss be fired by the Edmonton Oilers, it all feels like a match made in heaven—though with oil spilled all over it.

After the Oilers explained their decision to fire Kris Knoblauch, Cassidy emerged as the top candidate to coach McDavid and Edmonton during the 2026-27 NHL season. In reality, though, Cassidy had already been considered a heavy favorite even before the organization formally relieved Knoblauch of his duties.

Although he has yet to receive permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to interview for other jobs, Cassidy recently broke his silence during a media appearance in which he laid out a clear blueprint for what he needs to see from his next team.

“[What’s appealing to me] is always an opportunity to win. I think where I’m at in my career, I got my name on the Cup and it’s one of the best experiences in hockey. That would appeal to me. That’s what I would want,” Cassidy admitted on First Shift. “And obviously, have to consider ownership. You want to work for good people. If you can find a spot like that, that’d be ideal. Hopefully, there is [such an] opportunity.”

Bruce Cassidy, former head coach for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Message to Edmonton

The Oilers had reportedly gotten Cassidy’s approval amid the Golden Knights’ blockade. Now, it’s put into words. His message was heard loud and clear in the Gateway to the North. The Oilers may be coming off a first-round exit in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but fatigue and injuries were bound to catch up to them after consecutive trips to the Final in 2024 and 2025.

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Maple Leafs could have better luck than Oilers in attempt to interview Bruce Cassidy

There are several concerns surrounding both the lineup and the front office in Edmonton, but as long as McDavid and Draisaitl remain under contract, nobody in the NHL can count the Oilers out. For the time being, the star duo is signed through 2028. That is not a lot of time. Edmonton faces a two-year championship window, but for Cassidy, it could also become a two-year proving ground.

If he shows the team it is on the right track, McDavid may choose to give him the benefit of the doubt and re-sign in the City of Champions—a nickname that has started to feel more like a burden than a compliment for the organization.

Early exit may turn positive

For Cassidy, the early elimination in Oil Country might actually be a good thing. If he signs with the Oilers, he would get McDavid, Draisaitl, and company fully rested when they pick up where they left off in training camp and preseason. It’s clear there were some serious fatigue problems, and players had been dragging the luggage from long postseason runs that ended with heartbreak.

A new head coach could help change the tune, especially one who has won the Stanley Cup before, and every player on the roster saw it happen. It helps when there is no need to dust off a VHS machine to show one’s capabilities.

While both sides seem interested, nothing can materialize until they set up an interview. And such interview won’t be allowed until the Golden Knights grant the Oilers’ permission to reach Cassidy. Some fans across the NHL have gone as far as to call a hostage situation surrounding Vegas and its former head coach, whom it fired with eight games left in the 2025-26 campaign. However, Cassidy is staying patient.

Cassidy’s message to Vegas

“[The Golden Knights] are in the middle of a playoff series. I’m going to respect that they have other things on their plate,” Cassidy added. “I know some teams have reached out. Hopefully at some point they’ll allow me to [interview] with them.”

For the time being, Cassidy will be understanding of where the Golden Knights are in their postseason run, but that may not last much longer. Especially as reports around the league continue to hint that Vegas’ decision is purely driven by pettiness.

Connor McDavid at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

After all, the Golden Knights fired Cassidy without cause and with one year left on his contract. They believed he wasn’t the right coach to lead them, so why are they suddenly scared he might be the answer for Edmonton, Los Angeles, Toronto, or any other organization in the coaching market? For a franchise based in Sin City, it sure looks like the Golden Knights are playing it safe, scared to lose their chips.

McDavid set for new coaching retool

Needless to say, this isn’t where McDavid expected—nor hoped—to find himself in Year 11 of his NHL career. As if falling at the gates of the Stanley Cup and Olympic gold medal weren’t challenging enough, he’s now standing alone in an empty room in Edmonton. No team trophies to show for, and not even a head coach to look toward.

Whether it’s Cassidy or someone else, McDavid is set to welcome the sixth different head coach of his Oilers tenure. The coaching instability isn’t exclusive to McDavid’s era, either, as Edmonton is searching for its 10th head coach in the past 15 years. Without a shadow of a doubt, that’s a recipe for disaster.

Only arguably the most talented player of all time could drag such a train wreck on deep postseason runs, yet even that hasn’t been enough for the Oilers to snap their 36-year Stanley Cup drought. Maybe Cassidy is the missing piece to the puzzle. Until the Golden Knights step aside and stop blocking—at the very least, ignoring—teams from reaching him, however, McDavid and company can do little more than daydream about the future.

Oilers brace for franchise-defining offseason

Then again, the future is also filled with uncertainties and scenarios Oilers fans can scarcely fathom—and would rather never imagine. Cassidy may seem like Edmonton’s knight in shining armor, but for now, he’s trapped in a castle under the watch of the Golden Knights. It sounds like the premise of a box-office hit coming to theaters this summer, but Stan Bowman and the front office in Alberta know all too well that it could instead turn into a tearjerker.