When the Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy, it was seen as a head-scratching move. Fans were wondering how you could get rid of a Stanley Cup-winning head coach while you're in a playoff hunt? It left numerous people baffled and marking their calendars for the "eventual" Golden Knights downfall.
Well, that downfall didn't come as Vegas won the Pacific Division, thanks to John Tortorella. As for Cassidy? Well, more disheartening testimony came out, courtesy of the Rod Pedersen Show.
1 "[The @GoldenKnights] were not gonna play for [Bruce Cassidy] anymore in Vegas. It was over, it was done. And I know that for a fact."
— IntactCraft (@CraftIntact) April 21, 2026
"It got unbearable with him in Boston. It got to be so bad in the room that they had to get him out of there."
In Vegas, "he lost the room." pic.twitter.com/UX0f6ogrOC
Did you catch that? Let's simplify it so that fans can see what the Bruce Cassidy tenure was like behind the scenes.
"It got unbearable with him in Boston. It got to be so bad in the room that they had to get him out of there. In Vegas, he lost the room."The Rod Pederson Show
Of course, there were talks about how the Boston Bruins locker room turned on Cassidy. That eventually led to his departure, when he won a Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights a season later. However, this trend continued with Vegas as well, with the poor play persisting throughout the season.
But that doesn't matter because the Golden Knights made the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons. Man, it's like we keep doubting Kelly McCrimmon and yet he keeps proving us wrong (hello, party of one!).
The testimony about Bruce Cassidy's time with the Vegas Golden Knights reveals a lot about the 2025-26 season
Look, I know that John Tortorella isn't the perfect head coach. He has a similar personality to Bruce Cassidy that drove him out of numerous jobs, whether that's with the New York Rangers, the Vancouver Canucks, or the Philadelphia Flyers. But the players have responded to him well.
That includes Mitch Marner, who has two assists as of this piece. He has flourished under Tortorella, finding his offensive stride while making plays happen. That didn't happen as much under Cassidy, where the players basically tuned him out.
In turn, it led to other consequences, including more losses than wins in a Golden Knights season (first time in franchise history). It also led to issues in other areas, including Adin Hill falling off the proverbial cliff.
The Golden Knights are in a much better place right now thanks to Tortorella
I know, I couldn't believe that I'd be saying this when Tortorella was hired a month ago. However, the two-time Jack Adams winner has changed the locker room culture to where the team is playing more confidently. It also showed that an act can grow old quickly, which was the case with Cassidy.
That's especially true when there were questions about whether this team would even make the playoffs. Now, they're in the postseason and are playoff much more confidently. That's a testament to what Tortorella has done in his short time with the Golden Knights, adding some swagger to the club.
Now, it's time to build off that momentum and go on a deep playoff run. Nothing else matters right now, especially after the tumultuous season that Vegas went through. If the Golden Knights can go all out and win a round or two, people will be on board with the new guard.
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