Bruce Cassidy on Knights not giving permission to interview: ‘It’s upsetting’

Bruce Cassidy is still waiting. And waiting. And waiting some more.

The former Vegas Golden Knights coach isn’t just itching to get back into coaching. He just wants to talk to teams.

The Stanley Cup-winning coach said on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast Thursday that it has grown frustrating that Cassidy, who was fired March 29, still hasn’t been granted permission by his former team to interview for his next job.

“It’s upsetting. I’m going to be honest,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy’s firing has become one of the biggest hot-button topics around the NHL.

Not just because the Knights shockingly made the move with eight games left in the regular season while they were still in a playoff spot.

Not even because the Knights have gone 19-4-1 under John Tortorella and are now back in the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in four years as Cassidy watches from home.

But how the Knights have yet to let Cassidy speak with teams who are searching for new bench bosses, especially given how Cassidy is going to be the most sought-after coaching candidate on the market once they give the OK.

According to reports, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings are at least two teams who have asked permission to interview Cassidy.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a prepared statement on May 19 that the Knights have “been consistent that our focus currently is on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the teams have respected that. I’ve spoken with Bruce. He understands this, as well.”

“Two teams have asked. That’s public knowledge, and I would like to talk to them,” Cassidy said. “I want to go to work. I’m a hockey coach.”

The Knights, contractually, hold the cards in dictating Cassidy’s immediate future. They fired him with one year left on his contract. He’s set to make $4.5 million.

“At the end of the day, there’s the side of it where I’m getting paid a lot of money to do nothing, so that’s the good part,” Cassidy said. “I’d rather be working, to be honest. That’s where it’s landed, and hopefully it gets resolved soon.”

Even if Cassidy wanted to forfeit his remaining salary to clear this last roadblock, he said he still wouldn’t be able to interview because it would violate the non-compete clause in his contract.

“We keep asking if we can get on with my coaching career, but right now it’s a little bit in limbo,” Cassidy said. “Vegas is in a playoff series, I understood that, but I still think they can take some time and sort through it. Hopefully they do. If they don’t, I guess I wait it out until I find a resolution.”

The NHL Coaches’ Association released a statement in support of Cassidy, saying that while it respects the NHL’s rules and processes with coaches, that Cassidy should not be prevented from pursuing other opportunities.

Cassidy said he may consider negotiating that into his next contract. Whether teams allow that, he said, is another question.

“I’m not good enough to coach the Vegas Golden Knights, but I’m too good of a coach to coach a team that asks?” Cassidy said. “That’s the part that sort of bothers you.”

There’s also the bittersweet side to it. Cassidy was let go with eight games left in the regular season, and now has to watch that team play in the Stanley Cup Final.

But even though the Knights are making a deep run into June for the second time in four years, Cassidy said he just wants to move on to his next opportunity.

“I respected their busy focus on winning a Cup. I get that,” Cassidy said. “On the other hand, I think they’re a well-run organization. I think they can take the time to do a couple things at once, but that’s kind of the answer I’ve been given, so I have to respect it.

“I worked for those guys for almost four years and have a ton of respect for them. I hope it gets resolved. Simple as that.”