The Vegas Golden Knights’ decision to stop other NHL teams from speaking with former head coach Bruce Cassidy has become one of the biggest coaching stories of the offseason. According to TSN insider Pierre LeBrun, the timing of Edmonton Oilers' interest may have played a big role in Vegas’ decision.

Speaking on Melnick in the Afternoon on June 17, LeBrun explained that the Edmonton Oilers first contacted Vegas about Cassidy while Kris Knoblauch was still Edmonton’s head coach. Reports suggest that Vegas management did not like that situation.

LeBrun said the Golden Knights were unhappy because Edmonton showed interest in another coach before officially having a coaching vacancy. Since Vegas was not required to allow the conversation, the team decided not to give permission.

Cassidy is still under contract with the Golden Knights through next season, even though the team replaced him with John Tortorella in March. Under NHL rules, any team that wants to interview Cassidy for a head coaching job must first get permission from Vegas.

Reports say the NHL supports the Golden Knights’ position and believes the team is following league rules and honoring Cassidy’s contract. Because of that, teams like the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings have not been able to officially speak with Cassidy despite their reported interest.

The situation has created a lot of debate around the NHL because Cassidy is not currently coaching the Vegas Golden Knights but still cannot freely explore other coaching jobs.

However, LeBrun’s comments suggest that Edmonton’s early interest may have made Vegas even more determined to control the process and protect its contractual rights to the veteran coach.

NHL, coaches’ association differ on Cassidy situation

While the Vegas Golden Knights and the NHL seem to agree on the issue, the NHL Coaches' Association has a different opinion.

The association believes that coaches who are still under contract but are no longer working for a team should be free to explore new jobs.

“It would be unprecedented at the head coaching level should multiple teams be denied permission to speak with Coach Cassidy," they said in a statement.

Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon previously confirmed that teams had asked for permission to interview Cassidy. However, he said Vegas was focused on its playoff run at the time and added that Cassidy understood the organization’s position.

Cassidy remains one of the most accomplished coaches who could be available this offseason. The 61-year-old led the Vegas Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup title in his first season and holds an impressive NHL head coaching record of 438-228-80, along with 62 playoff victories.

Before joining the Golden Knights, he also had a successful run with the Boston Bruins, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019.

Several teams are still looking for a head coach, so Cassidy’s future will remain a major topic. According to the latest reports by Sportsnet insider Nick Kypreos, Vegas granted permission to only the Toronto Maple Leafs to speak to Cassidy.

How much did the Edmonton Oilers’ early interest influence the Vegas Golden Knights’ decision to block conversations with Bruce Cassidy?  Comment below. 

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar