Insider: Cassidy's Leverage On Oilers Is 'Enormous'
There are several teams in the National Hockey League right now looking for a new head coach. And while there are a few guys out there, there is only one very high-in-demand head coach available. And that is Bruce Cassidy.
And when it comes to the Edmonton Oilers, his most fervent pursuers, the pressure is squarely on for them to sign him. After the whole 'seeking permission' affair leaked out, leading to the firing of Kris Knoblauch, they have no choice, says insider Elliotte Friedman.
Their head coaching opening now "screams Cassidy. I just think if you're the Oilers, you've gotta make sure you get him."
But, speaking on 32 Thoughts, the podcast, Friday morning, Friedman also says:
Cassidy's leverage on them is enormous... Bottom line is, with the way Edmonton's done this, they have to get him. To me, if you get permission to talk to him, you lock him in the trunk of your car and you don't allow him to leave without signing a contract... As far as I'm concerned, Edmonton has no choice, but to drop bags of money on him and make sure they get their man.
Currently, the Vegas Golden Knights—the team that still owes Cassidy $9 million over the next two years after firing him last month—have not given permission for the Oilers to speak to him. Friedman suggests it just could be that maybe the Golden Knights wanted to wait until their series with Anaheim was over. Well, now it's over.
"I think ultimately they'll get permission," says Friedman.
The Los Angeles Kings are also in on Cassidy, and maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs, to a smaller degree.
The insider went on to name a few other backup options for the Oilers if they don't land Cassidy:
- Peter Laviolette
- Craig Berube
- John Tortorella
