The Edmonton Oilers would like to interview Bruce Cassidy for their vacant head coaching job, but as of today Vegas hasn’t given them permission. GM Kelly McCrimmon read a statement yesterday that said, “Teams have asked for permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy and we have been consistent that our focus currently is on the Stanley Cup playoffs and teams have respected that. I have spoken with Bruce and he understands this as well.”

That would lead one to believe that once Vegas’ season is over they will grant permission to teams interview Cassidy. That could happen by the end of the month, if Vegas loses to Colorado, but if they defeat the Avalanche then it won’t happen until the Stanley Cup is awarded. It is within Vegas’ right to grant permission when they feel it is appropriate. It doesn’t look good, but they aren’t doing anything illegal, and if a team really wants to hire Cassidy, then they will have to wait until Vegas grants permission. But there is no guarantee they will do that when their season is over, and so Edmonton, Los Angeles, and Toronto will have to decide if it is worth waiting to interview Cassidy, or fill their vacancy sooner.

There is no major rush to hire a head coach. Ideally, you’d like him in place before the draft. Not because he will have input on who they draft, but we do see some trades at the draft, and a GM would like some input from his head coach on how he views a player they might trade for. The draft is Friday, June 26th, so the Oilers, Maple Leafs and Kings have time. I haven’t included Vancouver, because they are in a rebuild, and I don’t see Cassidy being a fit.

Cassidy got his first head coaching job in the NHL in 2002/2003 with Washington. He’d been a head coach for three years in the ECHL, one season in the now-defunct IHL and two in the AHL when the Capitals hired him. He was 37 years old when he joined the Capitals. They lost in round one in his first year, and he was fired 25 games into his second season. The Capitals were struggling, but Cassidy’s post-game rant on December 6th was the final straw. He mentioned players’ personal lives and their family situations in his on-ice complaints, which was a glaring error, and it cost him his job.

He didn’t get another head........

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