We’re more than a week out from the news leaking that the Oilers were denied permission to speak to former Golden Knights head coach, Bruce Cassidy, and all I can think about is how long Stan Bowman plans to wait. With Vegas dragging their feet on giving Edmonton permission to speak to the guy they just fired, the Oilers find themselves in a terrible position of having to wait and see. Needless to say, this situation is not ideal.

It doesn’t take much to figure out that Bruce Cassidy is the guy Edmonton wants to be their next head coach. Whether that’s the right call or not is a decision that can only be judged with time, but the logic of circling his name on the board is pretty easy to understand. He’s won the Cup before, he has plenty of experience, and he’s had enough success that would make sense for a team that believes it should still be in win-now mode.

The problem is that wanting Cassidy and actually being able to talk to him about the gig are two very different things.

Since Cassidy is still under contract with Vegas, the Golden Knights have the right to deny the Oilers permission to speak with him. From an Edmonton perspective, that’s annoying as hell. From a Vegas perspective, it’s the kind of Evil Empire decision making they’ve been doing since day. Even though they just fired the guy, in their minds, why would they want to help a division rival land the coach they clearly want? If they can’t have him then no one can, and they’re clearly willing to pay to make that happen.

As annoying as it is that Vegas is being difficult, the unfortunate reality for all of us is that they’re not doing anything wrong. If they want to keep paying Cassidy his reported $4.5 million and prevent him from interviewing with Edmonton or anyone else, they’re allowed to do that. If keep Bruce chained up in their basement wasn’t so frustrating, I would absolutely respect it. It’s the kind of move that I actually wish the Oilers would do if ever the opportunity arose, but that’s a different story for a different day.

So where does that leave the Oilers?

In purgatory, mostly. Instead of kicking off the summer with a major item off the to-do list, the Oilers are forced to sit and wait for a resolution. If Cassidy is at the top of their list, then it makes sense to give the situation some time to see if Vegas softens its stance. Maybe Cassidy pushes for permission because it’s generally ridiculous that a guy who just got gassed can’t go look for another job. Maybe a deal gets worked out that puts this whole mess behind us. That’s the optimistic side.

But the Oilers also can’t sit around and wait forever.

The NHL Draft is just over a month away, and free agency comes up right after that, and you’d have to think that Edmonton’s management team would want their coach in place. Those are two massive checkpoints for a team that has a pile of work to do this summer, and the new coach should definitely be part of any conversations surrounding roster, the staff, and what kind of team the Oilers are trying to be next season. That countdown could ultimately force their hand.

At some point, Stan Bowman and company need to make the call on how long they’re willing to wait and what the Plan B will look like if Bruce Cassidy doesn’t work out. Maybe that deadline is a few hours or days from now. Maybe they’re willing to push the limit in the hopes that Vegas has a grinch moment where their heart grows two sizes. Whatever the line in the sand ends up being, I want to know hen waiting for Cassidy stops making sense and when the Oilers shift their focus to the next-best option.

I’m not trying to say they should bail on their man already, but I am saying they don’t want to be the last solo dude on the dance floor at the end of the night when the lights come back on.

Like it or not, Friedman reported that the Leafs have given Edmonton permission to speak with Craig Berube only days after being let go in Toronto. We’ve also seen Peter Laviolette’s name thrown in the mix as a possible option. So, the Oilers are doing their due diligence on coming up with alternate arrangements, but what remains to be seen is how long they’ll wait for their top choice. Neither Laviolette or Berube are names that anyone around here seem to want, but both are experienced coaches who could end up as part of the conversation if the options narrow.

And really, making a shortlist of suitable options is all the Oilers can do right now.

Because as annoying as the Golden Knights are being, the Oilers can make plans using what they can control, and right now, they’re approaching a very interesting fork in the road. They can’t force Vegas to give Cassidy permission and have lost the ability toi make this move on their preferred timeline. But one thing the Oilers cannot do is get caught flat-footed if this Bruce plan keeps going nowhere.

If Vegas grows a heart and Cassidy becomes available, then go after him as hard as possible. But if he doesn’t, then the Oilers need to be ready to pivot before the most important offseason in years starts moving on without them. Waiting for the guy you want makes sense. But the question on everyone’s mind is how long you do that before feeling like you’re caught with your pants down. That’s not a great spot to be in for Stan Bowman and friends at the OEG offices.

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