Oilers Reportedly Denied Interview with Division Rival's Former Head Coach
For two straight seasons, the Edmonton Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Finals, but both times, they came up short against the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers.
In 2025-26, they fell even shorter of their goal, being eliminated in six games by the division rival Anaheim Ducks in just the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That's led to plenty of chatter around the team, the future of their stars and especially the future of Kris Knoblauch, with many potentially expecting him to be fired by the team following another major letdown.
While no official move has been made, the team are reportedly exploring their options, and to the surprise of nobody, they have their eyes on a former Stanley Cup winning coach. Unfortunately for the Oilers, their biggest target, Bruce Cassidy, is not available to be interviewed, as the Vegas Golden Knights have reportedly denied them the opportunity, according to reporter Frank Seravalli.
League sources say #Oilers have sought permission to interview Bruce Cassidy as they contemplate significant coaching staff changes.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 12, 2026
To this point, sources say @GoldenKnights have withheld permission from division rival.
Gamesmanship? Perhaps. Mostly unprecedented for role.
Earlier in the 2025-26 season, Cassidy was 'relieved of his duties' by the Golden Knights, with the team bringing in veteran John Tortorella, who currently has them in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, he still has one year remaining on his contract, and as a result, the Golden Knights still have the final say on whether or not he can take a new role as they are still paying him for that time.
Given that the Oilers are a division rival and a genuine threat to the Golden Knights Stanley Cup hopes, it makes complete sense why the organization don't want him behind the bench of two of the NHL's biggest stars. Obviously, things in this situation could change, but with the Oilers likely looking to make quick changes ahead of free agency, the trade period and the 2026 NHL Draft, but right now, all signs point to the Oilers not getting the chance to talk to Cassidy.
Related: Oilers GM Speaks On Connor McDavid's Future After Oilers' Playoff Exit
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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 10:42 AM.