The one mistake the Vegas Golden Knights cannot make again
By Jim Lynch
The Vegas Golden Knights just finished their fifth season in the NHL. During that time they have done just about everything you can do in the league minute win a Stanley Cup.
This franchise has been to the Stanley Cup Final, lost in the first round, then in the Conference Final, then in the second round, and then missed the playoffs entirely.
They have traded for and traded away star players like it was nothing, and they have now had three different head coaches during their time.
Gerard Gallant was the first head coach of this team. He coached the team to a Stanley Cup Final during their inaugural season as well as a tough first-round exit to the San Jose Sharks in 2019. He then coached the team to a record of 24-19-6 before being fired to be replaced by Pete DeBoer in 2020.
Two and a half seasons is the average tenure of a coach so far with this franchise, and I do not think it takes a rocket scientist to say that is not enough time to coach a franchise to success.
The Vegas Golden Knights announced Bruce Cassidy as their head coach almost a week ago, and with some time to reflect upon the decision I have just one thing to say. The Knights cannot make the same mistake again.
Bruce Cassidy needs to be given more than three seasons with this franchise. Up to this point, Cassidy was with the Bruins organization since 2008. He was the coach of the Providence Bruins as an assistant coach from 2008 until he was named head coach in 2011, then in 2016, he was named an assistant coach of the Bruins before being given the interim coaching title in February of 2017 when then-head coach Claude Julien was fired.
Cassidy spent a lot of time with the Bruins and he needs to be given a lot of time with the Golden Knights.
Here is what Cassidy said in a press release following his hiring in Vegas:
"“I am excited to join an organization that shares my commitment to winning and can’t wait to get to work with the talent that has been assembled in Vegas.”"
There is a strong chance this Golden Knights team is going to struggle early on. The way this roster is constructed has given the franchise a lot of cap issues.
Despite Cassidy being a strong coach, he cannot do anything to fix a broken roster that might not have a lot of depth. If the Golden Knights struggle and miss the playoffs again or fall short of a championship they cannot blame their head coach and make a change again.
This organization has seen more coaches in five years than most will see for ten-plus seasons. Let’s hope the Golden Knights learn from this mistake and keep Bruce Cassidy around for five-plus seasons to see what he can do during that time.
The Golden Knights’ strategy of going all-in on the next big and best thing might have been fun during their first five years in the league, but it is not the best strategy for success.
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