Bruce Cassidy got fired in March with eight games left in the regular season. He’s still on Vegas’s books for $4.5 million, still under contract through next year, and still not allowed to so much as shake hands with another NHL employer. The Golden Knights canned him, replaced him with John Tortorella, and then locked the door behind him on the way out. That was the situation in May. That appears to still be the situation now.
At least three teams — Edmonton, Los Angeles, and reportedly Vancouver — asked Vegas for permission to interview Cassidy for their head coaching vacancies. Vegas said no to all of them. General manager Kelly McCrimmon’s reasoning was simple and, under NHL bylaws, airtight: the team was in the playoffs and wouldn’t address coaching requests until the postseason ended.
“We’ve been consistent that our focus currently is on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the teams have respected that,” McCrimmon told reporters. He added that he’d spoken with Cassidy, who “understands this, as well.”
Cassidy’s public comments suggested otherwise. Speaking on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, the 61-year-old — who guided Vegas to the Stanley Cup in 2023 — didn’t hide his frustration.
“It’s upsetting,” Cassidy said. “Once you’re fired, your contract’s basically terminated. But the one thing people don’t realize is you have non-compete clauses. So I can’t resign today and go work for someone tomorrow. I still can’t work until Vegas gives me permission, until this contract’s up, which is at the end of next season.”
He added that resigning wouldn’t help: “If you resign, all I do is not get paid.”
The NHL Coaches’ Association didn’t mince words either. In a statement issued in May, the organization said it was “closely monitoring” the situation and argued that coaches under contract but no longer working for their clubs “should not be prevented from pursuing other employment opportunities.” The association called it “unprecedented at the head coaching level” for multiple teams to be denied permission to speak with a coach.
The league itself, however, confirmed that Vegas is operating fully within existing contractual rights and league policy. A coach under contract needs his club’s permission to interview elsewhere. That’s the rule. Vegas is using it.
The contrast with Toronto was stark. The Maple Leafs granted the Oilers permission to speak with former coach Craig Berube without a fight. Vegas, meanwhile, sat on Cassidy like a 340-pound nose tackle clogging a gap — and dared anyone to move them.
Los Angeles didn’t wait. Kings general manager Ken Holland told LA Kings Insider Zach Dooley that his team had to move on. “If somebody’s decided that they don’t want to grant permission, they’ve negotiated that right and you move on,” Holland said. He’s now working through a candidate list of four to eight names, with interim coach D.J. Smith still in the mix.
Edmonton’s mess was even messier. The Oilers reportedly contacted Vegas about Cassidy before officially firing Kris Knoblauch following a first-round exit against Anaheim. The backlash forced GM Stan Bowman’s hand, but Edmonton still couldn’t get to its reported top candidate. By midsummer, Mike Babcock had returned behind the Oilers bench, according to TSN — a name that carries its own baggage but at least carries it without asking Kelly McCrimmon’s permission.
So where does that leave Cassidy? Still paid, still idle, still stuck. Vegas holds the contractual hammer until his deal expires after next season. The teams that wanted him have largely filled their openings. The Coaches’ Association can monitor all it wants; the bylaws are the bylaws.
Cassidy said it himself: “I want to go to work. I’m a hockey coach.” Right now, the only thing between him and a bench is a contract Vegas has no incentive to release — and every contractual right to keep on ice.
Sources
- Yahoo Sports — Bruce Cassidy ‘upset’ as Vegas blocks coaching interviews with Oilers, Kings
- TSN — Kings GM Holland on Vegas blocking Cassidy: ‘That’s your right’
- Front Office Sports — NHL Coaches’ Association blasts Vegas over Cassidy restrictions
- Fox5 Vegas — NHL Coaches’ Association says it is monitoring situation with Bruce Cassidy, Golden Knights
- TSN NHL — Offseason headlines (Babcock return to Edmonton)