Former Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy wants to find another job in the NHL, but he might not be able to until the end of 2026–27 season and he’s not happy about it.
As Vegas heads to the Stanley Cup Final against either the Hurricanes or Canadiens, the Golden Knights are still blocking other teams from inquiring about Cassidy, which they can do while he remains under contract. The stance continues to cause conflict, and remains a top NHL storyline as the league’s postseason approaches its conclusion.
“It’s upsetting. I’m going to be honest. … In this case, there were two teams that asked [to interview me],” Cassidy said on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. “That’s public knowledge now, and I would like to talk to them. I want to go to work. I’m a hockey coach.”
The Oilers and Kings, both division rivals of the Golden Knights, sought to interview Cassidy, who led Vegas to the 2023 Stanley Cup title.
Vegas fired Cassidy on March 29, replacing him with John Tortorella, and under Tortorella, the team has gone on a 19–4–1 tear that has it near its second title in four seasons. Cassidy is still owed $4.5 million for the remaining year on his contract, and that agreement includes a standard NHL clause prohibiting even fired coaches from interviewing elsewhere without permission.
