The Vegas Golden Knights continue to give Bruce Cassidy the short end of the stick. After firing him with eight games to go in the 2025-26 NHL season, the Knights have yet to grant teams permission to speak with the Stanley Cup-winning coach. Namely, Cassidy is being deprived of the opportunity to join Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
The Golden Knights are off to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. While Mitch Marner is cherishing every bit of his success in Vegas, there is someone who is not enjoying the postseason journey, and it is Cassidy, who is being prevented from joining other NHL teams by his former club. Cassidy remained patient, but his tolerance is wearing thin.
“It’s upsetting, to be honest,” Cassidy said about Vegas not giving teams permission to interview him, via Spittin’ Chiclets. “Once you’re fired, your contract is basically terminated. There was two teams that asked it’s public knowledge now, and I would like to talk to them. I want to go to work. I’m a hockey coach.”
Cassidy can’t resign
With one year left in his contract with the Golden Knights, Cassidy is set to earn $4.5 million during the 2026-27 NHL season. Much is being speculated about his deal and whether signing with a different team would still leave Vegas footing the bill. Others argue why Cassidy simply doesn’t resign to his contract. The answer is simple: he’d be waving almost $5 million goodbye in doing so.
Bruce Cassidy was relieved of his duties by the Vegas Golden Knights.
“You have non-compete clauses. So, I can’t resign today and go work for someone tomorrow. I can’t work until Vegas gives me permission and this contract is up, which is at the end of next season. If I resign all I do is not get paid. I’ve got kids to take care of,” Cassidy added.
Vegas goes after Edmonton
Amid the loud buzz around the NHL, Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon has instead shifted the spotlight onto the Oilers. As reported by TSN’s OverDrive, McCrimmon had this to say about the denied interview request: “It’s only news because Edmonton leaked it.”
It is hard to see why the Oilers would leak such a report considering they had not formally fired Kris Knoblauch when the news broke, and the drama played a decisive role in parting ways with him. If it is true and Edmonton indeed leaked the denied interview request, it may have been a means to force Vegas’ hand. Still, it looks unlikely—or it was simply very foolish on the Oilers’ part.
There is also a scenario in which Vegas—or another interested party—was behind it, and perhaps the team in Sin City is now lying—or hiding the truth. After all, the house always wins, and it is clear who runs the table in the Entertainment Capital of the World. The Golden Knights may have stacked the deck, whereas the Oilers and Cassidy might be rolling snake eyes.
Tough pill to swallow for Edmonton
Thus, all the reports and Cassidy’s comments do is paint a tough picture for the Oilers. Entering the last somewhat calm season with McDavid—as he will be a pending UFA throughout the 2027-28 campaign—Edmonton needs certainty.
It is clear Cassidy is the top target in the Gateway to the North, but it simply looks like it will not happen. At least not this offseason, not as long as the Golden Knights have the final say.
Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers.
Oilers are left with few options
So what choices are the Oilers left with? They could sign a coach for a transition year until Cassidy becomes available next offseason, but that is far from sound business for them. For starters, it sends the wrong message to both the fans and McDavid, who are equally desperate to win a Stanley Cup.
On the other hand, there is no guarantee Cassidy will still be available by the time Edmonton knocks on his door next offseason. And lastly, what kind of NHL head coach would agree to sign a temporary contract just to keep a seat warm for his replacement? Obviously, not the kind of bench boss capable of guiding the Oilers back to Stanley Cup glory.
Vegas has Edmonton virtually dead to rights, Cassidy locked in chains at the top of its castle, and the NHL unwilling to move an inch or even act as if it will intervene. The cherry on top? All this is happening with the organization now favored to win the Stanley Cup. The Golden Knights might be setting a bad precedent, and there may be nothing the league can do to stop them.
