The Edmonton Oilers’ handling of their coaching search led to somewhat of an unexpected outcome.
The firing of Kris Knoblauch wasn’t really an earth-shattering surprise. But it did raise questions about how the organization handled the situation. In particular, the fact that news of inquiries involving former Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy forced Edmonton to cut ties with Knoblauch.
As insider Elliotte Friedman noted, once it got out that the Oilers wanted to talk to Cassidy, they had to act and remove Knoblauch from the picture.
That’s a tough situation to be in for the organization. Perhaps they weren’t totally sold on moving on from Knoblauch. But because their incipient search became public, there was no other choice but to go Cassidy or bust.
After all, the optics of the case would look awful if the Oilers don’t land Cassidy. Settling on any other coach would seem like the organization needlessly fired a good coach.
To be fair, all the chatter points towards Cassidy landing in Edmonton. Despite rumors linking the Stanley Cup-winning bench boss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, it seems that Edmonton is the preferred destination.
As for when that will actually happen, that’s another story entirely.
Cassidy Won’t Come Cheap for Oilers
When news leaked that the Golden Knights had denied the Oilers’ request to speak to Cassidy, questions emerged regarding the reasons behind the denial.
Friedman shed some light on the matter, musing that it wasn’t a denial per se. Rather, it was more a question of the Golden Knights failing to provide an answer to the request.
But there could be another matter bubbling beneath the surface. That matter could pertain to the term remaining on Cassidy’s contract with Vegas. According to the prevailing wisdom, Cassidy has one more year on his deal worth about $4.5 million.
If the Oilers, or another team for that matter, wanted to sign Cassidy, they would have to pick up the tab for his $4.5 million salary. And that’s what makes the veteran coach a pricey proposition for Edmonton.
The cost, however, does not just end there.
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Edmonton Still on the Hook for Knoblauch’s Contract
An overlooked element of this entire discussion is Knoblauch’s three-year contract extension. Knoblauch was slated to begin a three-year extension in 2026-27. However, his dismissal effectively renders that extension dead money for the Oilers.
Because of league regulations, Edmonton will still need to pay Knoblauch the salary that he would have earned for that extension.
Estimates report that the contract is a three-year deal at about $10 million. That’s roughly $3.5 million per season in dead money that the organization will need to pay out, on top of the new coach’s salary.
Whether that’s Cassidy or whoever it is, the Oilers will be on the hook for essentially paying two coaches. That situation might not make much financial sense, but it seems like it’s the cost of doing business for a team like Edmonton.
The Oilers are desperate to do whatever they can to get back to the Stanley Cup Final. But it goes beyond just getting back to the Cup Final. The goal will be to finally land a coveted championship.
Oilers are ‘Cassidy or Bust’ in 2026 Offseason