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.”

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.

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.

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.

“Following a thorough review of this past season, we believe these changes are needed. We are grateful for the contributions both Kris and Mark have made to our organization and we wish them the best moving forward,” said Stan Bowman, the Oilers’ Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager.

That also discards Mark Stuart from being the next HC. It’s been reported that Connor McDavid’s Oilers reportedly get Bruce Cassidy’s approval though the Golden Knights resist. So, if Cassidy ends up giving the green light, the head coach hunt could be short-lived for the Oilers.

Who else could replace Kris Knoblauch besides Bruce Cassidy?

Knoblauch had a 135-77-21 with the Oilers in the regular season, but that wasn’t the problem during Knoblauch’s tenure. He got to two straight Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025. In 2026, he had a first-round exit. Knoblauch couldn’t reach the final goal.

David Carle made a name by winning his third NCAA championship with the University of Denver. It’s been a long time coming for Carle to step up into the NHL and what better way than to coach Connor McDavid.

The Oilers expectations are very high

A team that has been so close to win the Stanley Cup but hasn’t has just one goal in mind: finally get over the finish line. The coach that replaces Knoblauch will have Connor McDavid, yes, but he will have to overhaul the defense and goaltending.

With that, the Oilers can once again dream about winning the Stanley Cup, something that has evaded them since 1990. It’s a big task, but also one that could propel the new head coach into new heights.

As Elliotte Friedman noted during an appearance on Sportsnet’s The FAN Hockey Show, Cassidy is open to interviewing with any team that requests permission to speak with him. However, he would rank teams differently, with Edmonton—viewed as the suitor closest to winning—expected to lead the race for his services. “If Bruce Cassidy has the choice, I would say it’s probably Edmonton,” Friedman said.

Still, until the Golden Knights grant the Oilers and the rest of the NHL permission to speak with him, the 60-year-old head coach will remain, so to speak, quarantined under Sin City’s wraps. Thus, reports all but confirm Edmonton are the favorites to hire Cassidy—though it has yet to fire Kris Knoblauch. Until Vegas says so, though, the Oilers can’t do much. Well, actually they can. And they should.

Oilers must formally fire Knoblauch

Word getting out that Edmonton sought permission to speak with Cassidy has put the organization in the Gateway to the North on the spot. The Oilers are left with virtually no choice but to have a face-to-face conversation with Knoblauch and part ways with him.

After all, they owe him at least that much, considering the head coach learned the front office went behind his back in its quest to find his replacement. Keep in mind the Oilers signed Knoblauch to a three-year extension beginning with the 2026-27 NHL season and running through 2028-29.

Edmonton may try to act as if nothing happened and stick with its current head coach, but that seems unlikely. If that occurs, though, there’s a slim chance Knoblauch works past his differences with the team in Oil Country. After all, money talks, and the 47-year-old is up for a big contract. The upcoming three-year deal would skyrocket Knoblauch’s net worth.

Oilers face more drama

All things considered, the Oilers are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Even if reports suggest Cassidy would favor them over other potential suitors such as the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton could still find itself in trouble. What happens if the organization moves on from Knoblauch but fails to land Cassidy?

It would certainly make for yet another dramatic offseason in Alberta, and it could prove to be the last straw for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Both stars expressed frustration following the team’s first-round exit in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Such chaos would be far from the response they expected after publicly stating the Oilers had taken a step backward last season.

The writing is on the wall for Knoblauch. His time in Edmonton appears to be running out. Whether Stan Bowman and company care to admit they were caught red-handed is a different question altogether. Edmonton should have learned its lesson by now: nothing is messier than an oil spill.

Why does the Golden Knights‘ say matter? Well, long story short, Cassidy still has one year left on his contract with Vegas at $4.5 million annually—as he was fired without cause. According to a report from Frank Seravalli, the Oilers have sought permission to speak with Cassidy, but the NHL franchise in Sin City is complicating matters.

“The Edmonton Oilers have sought permission to interview Bruce Cassidy as they contemplate significant changes to their coaching staff. Sources said Vegas had not outright denied permission for Edmonton to interview Cassidy, but had more so kept the Oilers waiting,” Seravalli wrote on Hockey 24/7.

Knights in no hurry, Oilers can’t do nothing but wait

The Golden Knights haven’t outright denied the Oilers access to Cassidy, but they are making Edmonton’s front office wait. After all, Vegas has bigger fish to fry as it remains in the middle of a heated playoff series against the Utah Mammoth.

Edmonton would love to resolve its head coaching situation as soon as possible, but the Golden Knights are in no rush to make a decision. Vegas can’t keep up this act for much longer, though. Sooner or later, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will step in to smooth things over.

Teams aren’t allowed to withhold permission from others for competitive reasons. This is simply a way of keeping the divisional feud alive while avoiding distractions in the middle of a Stanley Cup pursuit—though looking terrible in the eyes of the NHL while doing so. All things considered, the Oilers should eventually work their way through the Knights’ blockade—if their interest in Cassidy is truly that strong.

Bruce Cassidy could raise his voice

Moreover, Cassidy may step in himself. As if being fired with eight games left in the 2025-26 NHL season wasn’t insulting enough for the coach who led Vegas to a Stanley Cup in 2023, being blocked from another job opportunity would take things to another level.

The organization in the Silver State has found itself in the spotlight several times around the NHL because of its often ruthless handling of players and lack of tact in several business decisions.

Some might say a scandal involving Cassidy and the Oilers would be par for the course in the Entertainment Capital of the World, where the house always wins—and the Golden Knights want to be no different. Even if it comes at the expense of the image they project to the rest of the league.

Oilers haven’t fired Knoblauch yet

First things first, though: Edmonton must officially fire Knoblauch, as McDavid and company still technically report to him. It’s clear the front office has gone behind his back, though, and it’s a terrible on look on Bowman just as it’s on the brass in Nevada. The noise surrounding the coaching carousel and the Oilers’ request for permission to interview Cassidy leave no doubt that the writing is on the wall for Knoblauch.

Still, as long as Knoblauch isn’t formally fired, the Golden Knights can make the case that they aren’t giving the Oilers permission to speak with Cassidy because there is no vacant position for him. It’s a double-edged sword that stands between the two franchises.

For Edmonton, parting ways with Knoblauch would raise alarms, and if Cassidy doesn’t ultimately end up being the right fit for the position, it would only place even more pressure on a team that has exactly two seasons left to win the Stanley Cup or risk losing McDavid for good.

“There is consideration in the Oilers‘ front office as to the future of the head coach. I believe that Bruce Cassidy is among—and there are more than one—options that [the Oilers] will consider if they go that route,” David Pagnotta said during an appearance on Hello Hockey podcast.

Needless to say, the Oilers’ first-round exit in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will have repercussions within the organization. Perhaps the die is cast on the future of Knoblauch at the helm of the team. McDavid voiced his frustration after the 2025-26 NHL season came to a crushing, early end, and it’d be surprising if Edmonton doesn’t make changes across the board ahead of the next campaign.

Is Cassidy the right man for the job?

Although Cassidy was fired from the Vegas Golden Knights with eight games left in the 2025-26 NHL regular season and hiring John Tortorella has worked out in Vegas’ favor, the move still sent shockwaves all across the league.

Cassidy ranks 34th all-time among NHL head coaches with 470 career wins. If he signs with the Oilers, he would become the ninth-winningest active coach in the league. Moreover, he knows his way around the league and the Pacific Division.

The kind of move Oilers need

Hiring Cassidy—who won the Stanley Cup in 2023 with the Golden Knights—may be just what the doctor ordered for the Edmonton Oilers, and the kind of move that keeps McDavid motivated and optimistic about staying in Northern Alberta.

After all, the captain is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2028. That means Edmonton has only two more seasons to prove it can return to true Stanley Cup contention. Moreover, the Oilers must actually hoist the Cup instead of merely showing they can compete with the league’s elite before ultimately falling short.

“Yeah, I feel the same way,” McDavid admitted, via NHL.com. “I feel the same as I did a couple of days ago and agree with [Draisaitl] that the organization as a whole has taken a step back. It starts with me, it starts with Leon, we all can be better, we need to be better.”

Hearing that both franchise cornerstones are upset with the current direction is the last thing Edmonton needed heading into a long NHL offseason. Perhaps it turns out to be a blessing in disguise, but only if the recent comments serve as a wake-up call. McDavid and Draisaitl made their thoughts and emotions clear.

Draisaitl’s comments

The ball is in the front office’s court now. Either they get back on track, or they may have to brace for the final years of “McDraisaitl” in the Gateway to the North. If McDavid—who’s not one to usually go off script with the media—made that clear, Draisaitl—whose public outbursts are far more common—didn’t sugarcoat his emotions whatsoever.

“I am concerned because we’re not trending in the right direction,” Draisaitl stated during his end-of-season press conference. “In what world do you have the best player in the world on your team and you’re not looking to win? I know we’re looking to win, but we need to be better, we have to be better, there’s no way around it. “

McDavid and Draisaitl’s stats

Draisaitl and McDavid combined for 16 points (4 G, 12 A) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. The German was coming off a lower-body injury that sidelined him for 14 games down the stretch of the 2025–26 NHL regular season. Though he may not have been at 100%, he was the leading scorer for his team.

However, with Draisaitl battling setbacks and McDavid suffering a foot fracture in Game 2 of the series, the Oilers needed the rest of the team to step up and help the star duo out. At the end of the day, Edmonton’s lack of depth was their downfall. Once again, only this time, “McDraisaitl” couldn’t lead them to another Stanley Cup Final appearance.

Feeling as if they were left out to dry by the brass in Alberta, the duo expressed their frustration as they headed out of Rogers Place for one last time until after the summer. McDavid and Draisaitl voiced their feelings in authentic fashion. McDavid wasn’t as blunt as Draisaitl, but both wore their hearts on their sleeves as they faced the media in Edmonton with nothing but sorrow all over their faces.

Draisaitl opens the door for potential McDavid trade

“[McDavid is] signed for two more years, and God knows where that goes, but we have two years here as of right now and we have to get significantly better,” Draisaitl said. If the two-year championship window wasn’t obvious for the Oilers, Draisaitl made sure to remind the organization of it.

McDavid agreed to a two-year, $25 million extension with the Oilers before the start of the 2025–26 NHL season. If the organization continues to take steps backward, the captain may ask out of the organization. It’s a hard truth fans in Edmonton wish to overlook, but Draisaitl has now put that talk in the spotlight.

In the even McDavid requests a trade, it probably won’t take long before Draisaitl asks out as well. His situation is far more complex, though, as he just completed the first season of his eight-year, $122 million contract. Still, the first-round exit against Anaheim has put Edmonton in a very tough spot, and it may only be a matter of time before Pandora’s box is opened.

“We’re still in a really tough spot. We’ve got to find a way to win in a tough building. All we did is survive one more day. The pressure is still on us, but it’s a big game for them too,” McDavid admitted, via NHL.com. “I’m sure they’ll be feeling that too. I’m sure they’re not going to want to come back to Edmonton. Pressure on them. We’ve got to find a way to survive another day.”

The Oilers will only face elimination games going forward in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Edmonton must take it one game at a time, though. If McDavid and company get too far ahead of themselves, they might run into even more trouble.

Ducks sense the pressure as Oilers put up a fight

Though the Oilers’ backs are against the wall, the Ducks aren’t in for a walk in the park, either. If Anaheim can’t close out the series in Game 6, it will be in for a cortisol-spiking Game 7 back in the Gateway to the North.

Though the Ducks’ squad features several NHL veterans, they may not be able to withstand a win-or-go-home matchup against the likes of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and company. Something’s clicked for Edmonton. Maybe, playing with no margin for error was all the Oilers needed to find their best hockey.

McDavid is back, and so are the Oilers

The McDavid-Draisaitl duo came to life in Game 5, as they combined for two goals in the 4-1 triumph. McDavid has been battling through a lower-body setback since Game 2. However, during the Oilers’ third home game of the series, he finally looked like his best self again. As a result, McDavid ended the night with two assists and—most importantly—a crucial win to keep his team’s NHL season alive.

Perhaps the series’ momentum has shifted. Anaheim may have its last chance to send Edmonton home in Orange County. Yet if the series returns to Alberta, it might as well be all she wrote for the Ducks. McDavid said it best: the pressure is still on the Oilers to survive one more day in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the Ducks are surely growing anxious as they realize Edmonton refuses to go out.

If Edmonton makes it out of California in one piece, it will become a whole new series. Against all odds, the Oilers may force a Game 7, and anything can happen in a one-game showdown.

McDavid has been battling through a lower-body injury so far in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the Oilers’ captain has appeared in all four games so far in the first round, he could miss the upcoming showdown in which his team will face elimination.

In addition to McDavid, Jason Dickinson—who missed Games 2 and 3 of the series against the Ducks—is considered day-to-day and will be a game-time decision as well. If neither is able to dress for Game 5 at Rogers Place, Edmonton will be in for a very steep climb.

What happened to McDavid?

McDavid got tangled up with teammate Mattias Ekholm during Game 2 of the opening-round series against Anaheim. Immediately after the freak accident, McDavid felt pain in his right ankle and struggled to put any weight on that leg. After trying to shake the pain off, he left the game momentarily to be checked by the Oilers’ medical staff.

He returned to the game and has appeared in both Games 3 and 4. However, as he missed the team’s practice before Game 5 and Knoblauch failed to provide a clear update on him, signs indicate McDavid could miss the biggest game of the season for the Oilers—and possibly the last.

McDavid’s playoff stats

McDavid has never missed a postseason game for Edmonton in his NHL career. So far, McDavid has played 100 Stanley Cup playoff games, recording 154 points (45 goals and 109 assists). Through the opening four games of the first-round matchup against Anaheim, the best player in Edmonton—and the league—has put up four points (one goal and three assists).

McDavid has been far from his best hockey—likely due to the injury he’s playing through—but the Oilers still need him on the ice if they want any chance of overcoming a 3-1 series deficit.

Next man up for the Oilers

The Oilers’ hopes will be in the hands of Leon Draisaitl, who was rushed back after missing 14 games in the regular season ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The German star leads the team with seven points (one goal and six assists).

Kasperi Kapanen is the leading goal scorer with four tallies. If McDavid and Dickinson aren’t healthy enough to go, Knoblauch and company will need the unsung hero to continue his red-hot streak in order to stay alive. Perhaps it’s too late for Edmonton to salvage its season—and its Stanley Cup dream.

“I’m fortunate to have played with some really great players… very grateful,” McDavid said after the game according to NHL.com, reflecting on the achievement.

McDavid reached 1,200 points in 784 games, becoming the third-fastest player in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. With Leon Draisaitl out of the lineup, his performance carried extra weight as the Oilers continue to fight for position in the Pacific Division.

Historic milestone comes at key moment

This was not just a milestone; it came in an important stretch of the season. McDavid also recorded his fifth career 40-goal season, showing his consistent scoring ability year after year.

Coach Kris Knoblauch pointed to what makes him effective: “He’s so difficult to check… he’s determined to get to the net.” That effort was clear on his go-ahead goal, where he pushed through defenders to give Edmonton the lead.

Oilers get needed support in playoff push

The Oilers also got help from the rest of the lineup. Jack Roslovic scored twice, and Evan Bouchard added three assists as the team won three of its last five games.

“We need to be playing like that… it’s a playoff-hockey type game,” Knoblauch said. With the standings tight and key players injured, Edmonton will need this type of performance to stay in the playoff race.

“I coach to win our next game and look at how we can make our team better each day,” Knoblauch stated during his media availability on Monday, via @EdmontonOilers on X. “When things are going well, there’s very little criticism. When there’s losing, everyone needs to look in the mirror.”

Knoblauch’s statement came after a question about McDavid’s public call-out. While Knoblauch and McDavid are far from engaging in an all-out media war, it’s clear there’s tension in the Oilers’ locker room.

McDavid sets record straight on his comment

According to McDavid, his comments on the Oilers‘ coaching and team functioning were blown out of proportion. Perhaps it was the heat of the moment speaking and the upset tone in his voice that made his words come out much harsher than he intended them. Now, he’s made his argument.

“We’re not taking shots. It’s just everybody can be better myself included. Not sure how it was taken that way. It wasn’t supposed to be that way,” McDavid said about his previous comments, via TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. “I understand how people could look at it that way, but it’s not what I was intending to do at all.”

Signs of frustration in McDavid, Oilers

Still, it’s clear something is bothering McDavid. Whether it is the current losing streak, the fact that the Oilers can’t run away with a Pacific Division that is filled with toothless-looking teams, the weight of last season’s missteps, or a combination of it all, the captain is upset. His comments after the Lightning’s visit to Rogers Place were only a sign that he has some built-up frustration with the organization he is committed to through the 2027–28 NHL season.

For the fans, this may be seen as both a blessing and a burden. Trying times like the ones Edmonton is currently in are what make or break teams and seasons. If the Oilers can push through, then the sky may be the limit. If they don’t, though, then they were never really going to be a threat come the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Hips and groin stuff. All good,” McDavid commented shortly after leaving practice with trainers, via Gene Principe from Sportsnet.

McDavid has yet to miss a game in the 2025-26 NHL campaign. For the Oilers, keeping him healthy is paramount as they enter the home stretch of the regular season and engage in crucial matchups with playoff implications.

Oilers can’t afford to lose McDavid

Needless to say, having McDavid miss time could well be all she wrote for Edmonton. Mired in a losing streak, McDavid recently questioned the Oilers and head coach Kris Knoblauch, hinting there’s tension and animosity brewing in Alberta.

Moreover, the Oilers will be without Leon Draisaitl for the remainder of the regular season. The German star has been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) and is projected to return from his lower-body injury for the Stanley Cup Playoffs—that is, of course, if Edmonton makes the cut.

McDavid and Oilers’ playoff chances

Luckily, the fact that the Oilers are engaged in a “pillow fight”—as McDavid described it—with the rest of the Pacific Division helps their chances. Still, Draisaitl’s absence has been dearly felt.

While Draisaitl returned home to Germany to be treated by a specialist, Edmonton is 1–2–0 and has been outscored 12–7. Something must change. And in order for things to change, McDavid must be on the ice. If not, then the Oilers will lose their main weapon in the ongoing postseason fight—even if it’s only a pillow.