Former Golden Knights Coach Bruce Cassidy Tells NHLonTNT That He Wanted To Finish Job In Vegas
By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — For the first time since getting fired March 29 with eight games left on the Vegas Golden Knights schedule, former VGK head coach Bruce Cassidy appeared on a national TV hockey panel and said, “You grind for 74 games and you want to be there at the end.”
Cassidy was on the NHL on TNT analyst show Tuesday night when the former Golden Knights coach commented on the Boston/Buffalo and Anaheim/Edmonton playoff games.
When the panel introduced Cassidy, who won the 2023 Stanley Cup title with Vegas, the show’s members asked Cassidy about his departure brought about by General Manager Kelly McCrimmon.
Cassidy said he thought the VGK would make the playoffs again and that he wanted a chance to compete for an NHL championship.
“That’s the payoff, playing for the Cup to get your name on the Cup again,” Cassidy said. “Vegas has their standards. They felt we weren’t there. So they made a change.”
McCrimmon said the team lost its spirit and needed a spark. So, the GM hired John Tortorella, who was 7-0-1 during the team’s final eight games before splitting the first four games with the Utah Mammoth in the first round Best-of-7 series. Game 5 is at T-Mobile Arena Wednesday. Cassidy’s VGK team struggled in March after the Winter Olympics with a 4-9-2 record.
“Great guys in that locker room, great players. I’m excited for the guys,” Cassidy said, “but disappointed I didn’t get the chance to finish the job . . . I would have liked to see it through.”
It’s common for team coaches to appear on sports shows to stay relevant and show potential new employers that they’re still tuned into the players, teams and competition. In the National Hockey League where head coaches routinely are recycled from team to team, it’s very likely Cassidy will find a new job for next season if he wants to continue to coach.
PSA
