Why Bruce Cassidy is the most underappreciated part of the Vegas Golden Knights

NHL.com released a power ranking of the 16 best head coaches in the league. That list included prominent names like Jon Cooper and Paul Maurice sitting first and second respectively. Florida holds a monopoly on successful NHL head coaches (I bet nobody saw that one coming), making it into a state powerhouse for professional hockey.

As for Bruce? He came in at No. 3, making him the best Western Conference head coach. It's not bad for a head coach who replaced a fired Pete DeBoer (the former Golden Knights head coach was fourth, by the way) in 2022. Given the team was at a crossroads after missing the postseason for the first time in 2021-22, the sudden turnaround has been attributed to his leadership.

Being third in a Power 16 ranking shows how overlooked Cassidy is as the Golden Knights head coach. Fans should understand why he's important to the team's success, starting with his strategies. After all, it's not like Gerard Gallant is sitting behind the bench and scaring his players away. Why should Vegas give their head coach some love for his incredible work?

Why Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy is ranked in the top three with Jon Cooper

One part of Bruce Cassidy being ranked in the top three is his strategy. His ranking is thanks to Cassidy rediscovering a passion for the forecheck and limiting the space where opponents can move. He takes away shooting lanes and makes his opponents look for open shots, which becomes impossible to achieve. His job becomes easier when the Vegas Golden Knights have numerous two-way players, including William Karlsson and Mark Stone.

He's also not afraid to make the necessary adjustments to win a game (or series). For example, he boldly switched goaltenders during the Dallas Stars, despite Logan Thompson playing exceptionally well and Vegas losing the series. Some fans might complain about these changes and there's some validity to these arguments. However, one major problem with Gallant that Cassidy didn't have was he was too stubborn to switch his lineups and heavily relied on veteran talent. That's part of why the Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks defeated the Golden Knights during the first two postseason appearances.

Yes, the former Bruins coach wore out his welcome in Boston where he butted heads with some of his players. However, his style fits with the Golden Knights given their team culture and how they function. Everyone is treated equally and must pull their weight. Therefore, there has been no tension (so far) among the players while he's been around. It's part of what makes Jon Cooper a massive success in Tampa Bay.

Cassidy has earned his keep in Vegas

Plenty of NHL teams could use a stud head coach to lead them to the Stanley Cup. You could be a team like the Buffalo Sabres, who hired Lindy Ruff to right the ship that has sunk for the past decade (and beyond). However, the Vegas Golden Knights don't have this problem with Bruce Cassidy behind the bench. He turned an average team into a Stanley Cup champion, creating simplified systems that ease the pressure off the goaltenders.

When you have a franchise with high standards like the Golden Knights, you're expected to make the postseason and win championships. Bill Foley fulfilled his promise of winning a Stanley Cup in six seasons based on having a winning culture. In turn, it's led to the team becoming a community staple and leading the charge for the growth of professional sports in Las Vegas.

Yes, going through three head coaches in the first seven seasons might seem dysfunctional. However, having the third-best coach in NHL.com's power ranking should inspire confidence in fans regarding Cassidy. It shows the man steering the ship and guiding the team to victory. After all, they could be watching Gallant blow another 3-1 series lead.