A new controversy emerges in the Bruce Cassidy and Golden Knights drama
Bruce Cassidy is still stuck, and John Tortorella's takeover in Vegas hasn't changed the contract fight one bit.
What looked like a simple waiting game now feels a lot messier. Vegas has kept other teams from speaking to Cassidy even though he is no longer behind its bench.
The new twist came from Elliotte Friedman, who said the league is backing the Golden Knights on this one.
Because Cassidy remains under contract, Vegas is still allowed to shut the door on interview requests.
That matters because this is no longer just about one coach sitting at home.
It is about how much control a team can keep over a fired coach when real openings are on the board.
Friedman also added a key detail that changes the read on the whole standoff.
Not every coaching contract is built the same way across the league.
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Some deals, after a dismissal, can require a coach to look for work.
If that language exists, blocking interviews gets a lot tougher without a real reason attached to it.
The contract may be the whole story with Bruce Cassidy
That is where Cassidy's case gets interesting.
Friedman said he has not seen the contract, but he came away believing there are clauses in place that make it harder for Cassidy to break free.
He also made it clear the coach cannot just walk away from the rest of his deal or hand back the money and move on.
That closes off the easiest escape route.
There is also a power angle here. Friedman suggested this may not be coming only from hockey operations, especially after comments from Kelly McCrimmon.
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The hold is real enough that Friedman previously reported, «neither one has permission to talk to him yet,» referring to the Oilers and Kings.
That line told the whole league this was not a rumor or a soft delay.
Now the focus shifts back to Vegas ownership and to whatever is sitting in that contract. Until that changes, Cassidy remains in coaching limbo, and teams chasing a proven bench boss stay parked outside the door.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 2, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | - | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mitch Marner | - | 1 | 1 | |
| K'Andre Miller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Colton Sissons | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Smith | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | - | - | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Jackson Blake | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||