I know we might've talked about Bruce Cassidy being "fired" by the Vegas Golden Knights on here. Technically, that's not true because he was relieved of his duties (therefore, my apologies). He's still under contract with Vegas, so they still have some control over him.
However, there's a new wrinkle that emerged in the Cassidy saga. You see, the Edmonton Oilers sought permission to interview Cassidy after Kris Knoblauch's job appeared to be in limbo. But the Golden Knights said "no," withholding permission from their bitter division rival.
League sources say #Oilers have sought permission to interview Bruce Cassidy as they contemplate significant coaching staff changes.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 12, 2026
To this point, sources say @GoldenKnights have withheld permission from division rival.
Gamesmanship? Perhaps. Mostly unprecedented for role.
Again, keep in mind that Bruce Cassidy is still employed by the Golden Knights. He isn't outright fired (nor is Vegas outright withholding permission here, per Frank Seravalli), only being relieved of his duties. However, that hasn't stopped Kelly McCrimmon from acting even more petty towards the Oilers.
"There was somebody who said to me...they thought Bruce Cassidy might have already talked to the Kings; I don't know that for sure; it would new levels of petty if they just denied the Oilers and not the Kings."Elliotte Friedman on FAN Hockey Show
Imagine if Cassidy goes to Hollywood and takes on the Los Angeles Kings. That would be the pettiest move possible from the Golden Knights, preventing the Oilers from getting one of the best available coaches. Considering that Edmonton is in a deeper state of turmoil than the Golden Knights, it would be the biggest gut punch for Vegas's division rivals.
Here's the absolute kicker: Vegas isn't doing anything wrong here. It's strictly a business, meaning that you must prevent your rivals from getting one up on you. That's especially true when they have the two best players in the world. How else are you going to compete in today's NHL landscape?
Believe it or not, it's the Edmonton Oilers—not the Vegas Golden Knights—who are in the wrong here
Think about this, dear reader. What does Edmonton asking Vegas about Bruce Cassidy say about their handling of Kris Knoblauch? Do the Oilers have faith in their head coach or are they going to axe him next? That's the big question that looms with the organization, giving it a bad look.
That's not even mentioning how it affects Connor McDavid's standing within the organization. He's on a short-term deal and the Oilers can't afford to lose him. It would devastate a whole town and leave them—and Canada—searching for a Stanley Cup for much longer...
Of course, this is all part of a master plan from none other than Kelly McCrimmon and the Golden Knights. Keep your division rivals afar and prevent them from moving up (as long as it isn't breaking the rules. In fact, this practice has been going on for years in Vegas.
Fans will remember a while back when the Oilers coveted McCrimmon himself. Can you imagine the moves he would've pulled to make the Oilers dangerous? But that wasn't the case as the Golden Knights made him the general manager.
Other fans might look at this as some devious trick that the Golden Knights are playing on the Oilers. However, it's more of the Oilers doing their head coach dirty. It sends a bad message that he doesn't belong (especially after he led the team to two straight Stanley Cup Finals). Therefore, McCrimmon is relieved of any blame here, as he should be.
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