Bruce Cassidy isn't known for being the kindest guy. That's probably why he was relieved of his head coaching duties with the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. The latest report from Jonathan Davis doesn't exactly paint him in the most flattering light, either. Just take this quote about Cassidy's coaching style not sitting well with the Golden Knights' players.
Jonathan Davis claims one Golden Knights player told him “it was four years of hell” with Bruce Cassidy. Hmmm 🤔 interesting https://t.co/Og2NgMLfoz
— Chris Maathuis (@sports8) March 31, 2026
The record does show that Cassidy's regime has produced fruitful results. He has an all-time record of 179-99-43, producing 401 points with the Golden Knights. He also has a playoff record of 24-16 with Vegas, making him the most successful head coach in Vegas's short history.
On top of that, he brought two divisional titles and a Stanley Cup in his first season. How can you beat that resume in such a short period of time? That's like God mode for an NHL head coach, making him one of the league's best bench bosses around.
However, it appears that the business side of things has taken over, putting the players' concerns first. When players don't like coming to work at City National Arena for every practice, that's something that Kelly McCrimmon can't take lightly. When players start tuning out the head coach, that's when problems start to arise.
Why the quote from the Golden Knights players regarding Bruce Cassidy matters
If you want further perspective on how bad things got for the Golden Knights this season, look at the dubious firsts that came with the season. The Golden Knights won't have more wins than losses this season, a first that didn't even happen in the infamous 2021-22 campaign. Not only that, but the team has an even goal differential entering Tuesday's slate of games.
The Golden Knights have never had a goal differential of 0 or lower in a single season, marking a significant downturn in the team's overall play. When that's directed at the head coach, something will seem amiss. That's where the quote comes into play, painting Bruce Cassidy in a harsher light.
It's no wonder that many NHL players didn't warm up to him behind the bench. It's also why the statistical declines across the board were apparent during the 2025-26 season. It always leads back to the players tuning out the head coach, whether people want to admit it or not.
In turn, his tenure ends on a sour note as players out him for being a nightmare of a head coach. Is John Tortorella better in this regard? History says that isn't the case. However, the recent news shows that the former head coach couldn't keep his guys motivated enough to go into battle.