The Vegas Golden Knights are facing fierce backlash for blocking Stanley Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy from interviewing for another job. The reason they gave for doing so isn't good enough, writes Adam Proteau.
For better or worse, the Vegas Golden Knights consistently push the envelope on and off the ice.
This month, we saw the Golden Knights push it too far by denying former coach Bruce Cassidy the chance to coach for a different NHL team.
Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon began his media availability Tuesday to briefly discuss Cassidy's predicament, suggesting the fired coach will be able to talk to teams only after the Golden Knights are eliminated.
"Regarding Bruce Cassidy, teams have asked for permission to speak with Bruce," McCrimmon told reporters. "We've been consistent that our focus currently is on the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the teams have respected that. I've spoken with Bruce. He understands this as well."
With all due respect, that wasn't nearly a good enough explanation. That arguably made the decision look worse.
Let's be fair – coach firings happen all the time, and teams are free to do what they want with coaches under contract.
But just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it.
When the NHL Coaches' Association weighs in and says what Vegas is doing is almost completely without precedent, that tells you the only way the Golden Knights will put this issue to bed is to immediately grant teams permission to talk with Cassidy.
"It is our position that coaches who remain under contract, but are no longer working for their club, should not be prevented from pursuing other employment opportunities," the NHL Coaches' Association said in a statement. "It would be unprecedented at the head coaching level should multiple teams be denied permission to speak with Coach Cassidy. The situation is still unfolding, but our priority is to protect the interests of our members in this type of circumstance."
Did you catch that? "Unprecedented at the head coaching level."
That's an absolutely terrible look for the Golden Knights.
You can argue Vegas shouldn't grant permission to a Pacific Division rival like the currently coach-less Edmonton Oilers, but there are only so many coaching job openings in any given year, and they're actively preventing Cassidy from getting back into the coaching game.
This, for a coach who delivered the Golden Knights their only Stanley Cup championship. The level of disrespect for Cassidy is outrageous, and it must end immediately.
The reason Vegas could hire John Tortorella as Cassidy's replacement is that the Philadelphia Flyers had Tortorella under contract and chose to give the Golden Knights permission to hire him. The Flyers were in a big push for the playoffs and did not give the same excuse McCrimmon gave. There was no petty, small-minded decision to keep Tortorella on the sidelines – and if there was, we'd be pointing an accusatory finger at the Flyers for doing so.
One press conference where management tries in vain to rationalize the Golden Knights' action won't stop this from being an ongoing issue for them.
The NHL's coaching community is small but tight, so you'd better believe Vegas' treatment of Cassidy could hurt them when the Golden Knights need another bench boss.
It's one thing to change coaches with a few games left in the season. It's another thing entirely to tell the coach you've just fired that they don't deserve the ability of being allowed to find another coaching gig right away.
Thus, the Golden Knights will continue being rightfully ripped every day until they completely cut Cassidy loose. McCrimmon made a calculated decision with Cassidy that he thought was right, but we're here to say that decision was wrong.
Cassidy deserved better from Vegas than the way they've treated him since firing him. They can try justifying it all they like, but it won't work.
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