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Oilers coaching search: Vegas allowed one team to interview Cassidy
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Jun 17, 2026, 15:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 17, 2026, 15:05 EDT
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Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said he granted one team permission to speak to Bruce Cassidy during the playoffs. 
At the same news conference confirming that the Golden Knights were promoting Henderson Silver Knights coach Ryan Craig as their NHL head coach, McCrimmon was asked how the organization would now handle Cassidy. 
Before walking down the road to hire Mike Babcock, Cassidy was reportedly the Edmonton Oilers’ number one target, but he’s still under contract for one more year. 
“We had a situation where we did grant Bruce permission to speak with another team that didn’t come to fruition, but we’ll deal with that on a case-by-case basis,” said McCrimmon during his end-of-season media availability on Wednesday. 
He added that this occurred midway through the Stanley Cup Final. 
It would make sense that the team was Toronto, due to McCrimmon’s phrasing. The Maple Leafs announced Jim Hillier as their next head coach Wednesday. The former Los Angeles Kings coach was interviewed by the Oilers as well. 
Brian Burke was a guest on The Sheet on Wednesday while McCrimmon’s comments were going public. Burke doesn’t think Vegas will ever permit Edmonton to talk to Cassidy.
“There’s some hard feelings here, some other things that happened that we don’t know about, that I do, but other people don’t,” said Burke. “There’s been some steps taken that would make it hard for them now.”
McCrimmon said he informed all 31 other teams that John Tortorella is looking to continue coaching, and he thanked him for his time with Vegas. On Tuesday night, Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period said there’s growing belief amongst the Oilers that Babcock will be allowed to work. 
The NHL investigation is underway, and there’s been reporting by Elliotte Friedman and others that the league wants a quick investigation. As a league source told Pagnotta, “it’ll be over when it’s over.”  
Burke added during his appearance that he thinks the Oilers will run out of time waiting for Babcock, saying the league rarely does quick investigations, and would expect this to take 60 days.
With Toronto’s hiring, Edmonton is the lone team with a head coaching vacancy. Cassidy may miss this hiring cycle.
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4. 

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