Following six losses in seven games in late March, the Vegas Golden Knights decided to part ways with former HC Bruce Cassidy on March 29. Cassidy led the Knights to their Stanley Cup win in 2022-23 and, as such, brings a reputation built on experience and discipline to the table. Furthermore, he brings Olympic experience, having served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at Milan-Cortina.
Earlier this week, Cassidy expressed his openness to coaching a Canadian team, leading to speculation that he could succeed Kris Knoblauch as coach of the Edmonton Oilers.
NHL World Explores Possibility of Bruce Cassidy-Edmonton Oilers Partnership
The Oilers are navigating a harder-than-expected Round 1 matchup against the Anaheim Ducks at the moment. Edmonton has one chance to make a comeback at Rogers Place on Tuesday, but if it fumbles, the Oilers will have succumbed to an early exit in the playoffs.
If the Oilers fail to make it past the Ducks, the possibility of management looking at a coaching change is hardly out of the question. Perhaps a new coach could finally enable Edmonton to win a Stanley Cup and, consequently, retain franchise superstar Connor McDavid years into the future. To further fan hopes, Cassidy has stated that it would be rewarding to lift the Cup with a Canadian team.
“I tell you what, it’d be cool to win a Stanley Cup in a Canadian city right now, because it’s been a while, so that would be something else,” Cassidy admitted recently in an interaction with Nick Alberga. No Canadian team has hoisted the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens’ win in 1993. Could Cassidy channel his experience to end that drought? Could he achieve that feat in Edmonton? NHL analysts certainly believe so.
“Connor McDavid’s next head coach?” NHL insider Jimmy Murphy wrote, keeping the door slightly ajar for such a development between Cassidy and the Oilers.
Karman Gill of the Puckin Around Podcast openly urged the veteran NHL coach to join the Oilers behind the bench. “Come to Edmonton, Bruce.”
“Cassidy says it would be kind of cool to win a Stanley Cup in a Canadian market,” Bleed Oil Blue tweeted on X, keeping the possibility of Cassidy coming to Edmonton open.
“Something tells me this conversation has already been had,” Kevin McCurdy wrote, sharing the idea that perhaps discussions have already taken place between the Edmonton front office and Cassidy.
If the Oilers fall to the Ducks, it would make complete sense for the management to seek a change. Knoblauch was successful in leading Edmonton to two consecutive final appearances, but they fell short at the final hurdle.
Cassidy could orchestrate the franchise’s much-needed comeback.
However, Craig Berube of the Toronto Maple Leafs is in a far more precarious situation than Knoblauch. The Leafs’ offseason will be interesting to watch after the franchise’s nightmare season, which ultimately led to the firing of former GM Brad Treliving. If it’s Toronto that is Cassidy’s next destination, the coach will have his fair share of work cut out for him to make the team competitive again.
