Spector: Everyone looks bad as Oilers, Golden Knights haggle over Cassidy

The Edmonton Oilers have been caught seeking a replacement head coach in Bruce Cassidy before officially firing current coach Kris Knoblauch, who led the team to two Stanley Cup Finals. The Vegas Golden Knights, who fired Cassidy, are refusing to grant him permission to speak with the Oilers, breaking a long-standing NHL tradition of allowing dismissed coaches to pursue new opportunities. Both organizations have drawn criticism — the Oilers for disrespecting Knoblauch by keeping him in limbo, and the Golden Knights for blocking Cassidy's employment prospects despite his success bringing them a Stanley Cup.