The NHL has publicly backed the Vegas Golden Knights in the Bruce Cassidy situation. Speaking ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Raleigh, commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Vegas is well within its contractual rights to deny rival teams permission to interview Cassidy, whom the club fired in March but who remains under contract through next season. “Obviously, we don’t find it unreasonable because we’re allowing it to happen,” Daly said.
Bettman framed it as a consequence of the long-term deal Cassidy signed. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reported that the league stated, “There are contracts in the league that wouldn’t have allowed this to happen. His was not one of them.” Regarding that contract situation, Cassidy told The Athletic today that just for the chance to interview for the current NHL coaching vacancies, he’d forfeit the reported $5 million the Vegas Golden Knights are on the hook to pay him not to coach next season.
Additional Notes:
- In speaking with the media earlier today, Bettman tempered NHL expansion talks stating, “we’re not ready to expand yet, but we are exploring those expressions of interest”, as reported by Cory Lavalette with NSJNews. Bettman has maintained that an interested group needs to check every box: ownership, market, arena, and arrive with a concrete plan before he’d bring it to the Board. The NHL has sat at 32 teams since Seattle joined for the 2021-22 season.
- The Dallas Stars announced a non-binding letter of intent for a proposed new arena and entertainment district at The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, roughly 18 miles north of downtown, with the letter of intent heading to the Plano City Council on June 8. The lease at the current American Airlines Center run through 2031, putting any move about five years out, and the news landed a day after the Mavericks announced their own plans to leave downtown.
Bettman and Daly total lying tools and scumbags.
What did they say here that is a lie?
Nothing — they’re just suits saying things in suits language.
Suits? You goofs still use that term? Funny stuff! This just in: commissioners get hired by league ownership to represent them and speak for them. If the big words confuse you, that’s on you.
A contract is a contract is a contract. Not sure what they are lying about ???
Expand?! Are u kidding me?! NHL should retract a couple teams
Exactly. They choose to expand AGAIN then NHL will be destroyed just like MLB. Please don’t!!
@mr. pessimist
It’s seems like bettman and manfred are having a “hold my beer” competition to see who can destroy there league first
the MLB hasn’t expanded in ages
MLB is not destroyed. The NHL will not be destroyed if it adds a couple of teams.
MLB’s problem isn’t related to expansion, it’s the financial disparity between a handful of superteams and everyone else due to the lack of a salary cap and proper revenue sharing. The NHL has had both in place for over 20 years now. Apples and oranges.
Not since 1998, and Manfred has specifically said that it won’t be considered until every team has stability in their ballpark situation (see: Rays and Athletics).
Tv ratings in MLB have skyrocketed since the beginning of 2025 when they fixed the pitch clock issue
Torts was still under contract with Philly when Vegas got permission to talk to him. Talk about a double standard!
I think that’s more of a Flyers problem than a Vegas problem.
Uh, John, there are many types of contracts.
“Sat on 32 teams”? Are they supposed to add a new team every year? 🤨
Listening to Bettman yesterday talk about what the young fans like gives the indication that he thinks the 24/7 online crowd represents most people (e.g. most people could care less what threads a player wears to the bus).