The Vegas Golden Knights wasted no time giving the NHL its biggest talking point of the week after taking the decision to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday night.
Cassidy, who delivered Vegas its first Stanley Cup, will now head to the open market and is unlikely to remain unemployed for too long, given the state of a few teams around the league. Since taking charge of the Golden Knights, Cassidy’s 78-99-43 record is good enough for 5th-best over that span, something that raised even more eyebrows around the league.
Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch was asked for his thoughts on the ruthless nature of head coach churn in the league in light of Vegas’s shock decision.
Oilers HC Makes Feelings Clear on Golden Knights Firing Bruce Cassidy
On the surface of things, the Golden Knights are not exactly in dire straits. They’re third in the league and firmly on track to make the playoffs with eight games remaining in the regular season.
However, Vegas has been among the league’s worst teams since the Olympic break. In fact, their 5-10-2 record would be bottom of the league if it weren’t for the obviously-tanking Vancouver Canucks.
Despite being four points clear of the playoff bubble, the franchise decided against taking any chances in the postseason, firing Cassidy and bringing John Tortorella in for the remainder of the season.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Oilers’ matchup against the Seattle Kraken, Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch was asked for his thoughts on the matter. Knoblauch kept it short and sweet, telling Gene Principe that he’s “pro keeping coaches as long as possible.”
As it turns out, Cassidy, who delivered 24 playoff wins in Vegas and two Pacific Division titles (along with a Stanley Cup, of course), could very well be in contention for the Oilers job if Edmonton once again fails to reach the holy grail of hockey.
After back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final ended in heartbreak, Knoblauch will hope that the third time’s the charm. If they fail to lift the Stanley Cup this time around, questions will be asked in Edmonton.
With Connor McDavid signed for just two years beyond this season in what’s being seen as a clear message to the brass in Edmonton, the pressure is on Knoblauch to deliver. Lord knows there are several coaches waiting in the wings to take on a team powered by McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard.
Former Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer has been linked with Edmonton on and off throughout the year. DeBoer essentially made it clear he’s looking to join a contender when he’s back in the dugout. Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra could also be under consideration, given how well first-year head coaches have fared in the league this year.
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