RALEIGH, N.C. — Bruce Cassidy just wants to coach.In fact, he told The Athletic, just for the chance to interview for the current NHL coaching vacancies, he’d forfeit the reported $5 million the Vegas Golden Knights are on the hook to pay him not to coach next season.But the language in his contract with Vegas states that the Golden Knights must grant him permission to interview elsewhere even after relieving him of his coaching duties in late March. If he chose to terminate the remainder of his contract, the only thing it would accomplish would be not getting paid. He still wouldn’t be allowed to interview because of a non-compete.“I’m getting paid money to sit at home,” Cassidy told The Athletic over the weekend. “Well, I’d rather go to work, to be honest. I would. I’d rather earn it. So that’s my position on that. I’d give (the salary) up tomorrow and bet on myself if that freed me up to go interview, but it doesn’t. So that’s the problem.“I’d quit and give up the money. It doesn’t let me go to work, though. I’m still waiting for Vegas to let me go. They just get off the hook for salary. I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to do that. But if it was that easy, I would’ve done it a month ago, to be honest, and bet on myself, because I know there’s some openings out there — teams that have asked.”As of now, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings have asked to interview Cassidy, and the Knights have not granted permission. The Toronto Maple Leafs are also interested in talking to him, league sources tell The Athletic. All three have coaching vacancies.The rationale for saying no, with Edmonton and Los Angeles, is that they’re Pacific Division rivals. And it is well within the Golden Knights’ rights, according to Cassidy’s contract.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly addressed the situation during the annual State of the NHL news conference with commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday in advance of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, which happens to include Cassidy’s old Golden Knights, playing the Carolina Hurricanes.