The Edmonton Oilers may have missed out on Bruce Cassidy by the narrowest of margins, according to former broadcaster Rod Pedersen. Speaking on the Bleed Oil Blue podcast, Pedersen claimed the organization was only one week away from landing the veteran coach before ultimately hiring Mike Babcock.
“I think Bruce Cassidy would have been a better fit, and had they waited a week, they’d have had him. Wow. That’s big news. If they would have waited a week. That’s what I think. And I’ve talked to the agents, and they’re all like, that’s exactly what happened,” Pedersen said.
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He also suggested the coaching decision was driven from the ownership level.
“Kate stepped in. This was his hire, but Mike has the credentials. To me, Mike’s not a bad guy, but every time he comes on my show, my phone blows up with players that hate him.”
Pedersen’s comments add another layer to one of the NHL’s most closely followed coaching searches of the 2026 offseason. Edmonton pursued Cassidy aggressively after parting ways with Kris Knoblauch, but contractual roadblocks prevented the process from moving forward. Weeks later, the Oilers turned to Babcock after he was cleared by an NHL investigation into his return to coaching.
Bruce Cassidy pursuit unraveled before Edmonton pivoted
The Oilers’ interest in Cassidy became public shortly after the Vegas Golden Knights dismissed him in late March. Edmonton formally requested permission to interview the Stanley Cup-winning coach after its first-round playoff exit, but Vegas refused to allow a Pacific Division rival access while Cassidy remained under contract.
Cassidy later expressed frustration over the restrictions, while Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon criticized Edmonton for allowing the interview request to become public. The NHL, including Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, supported Vegas’ contractual right to block the move.
With that avenue closed, Edmonton shifted to Babcock. He met with owner Daryl Katz and members of the team’s leadership group before the NHL conducted a review of his previous departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets. After interviewing executives and former players, the league concluded there was no basis to prevent his return. The Oilers officially named Babcock their head coach on June 23.
Babcock now faces pressure to justify Edmonton’s decision
Whether Cassidy would have produced a different outcome is impossible to know, but the debate reflects how highly he is regarded around the league. His structured defensive systems and playoff record made him a logical candidate for an Oilers team that struggled defensively during its first-round loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Instead, Edmonton committed to Babcock despite widespread criticism. General manager Stan Bowman and the front office also reshaped the roster, moving out Darnell Nurse, adding Ryan Shea and Shakir Mukhamadullin on defense, signing Frederik Andersen, and integrating prospects Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard into the lineup.
The changes indicate the organization believes its championship window with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl remains open. Babcock inherits a deeper and younger roster than the one Knoblauch coached last season, but he also carries the weight of proving Edmonton chose the right coach after missing out on its reported top target.
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Pedersen’s claim cannot be independently verified, but it reinforces the belief that the Oilers’ coaching search came down to timing. If his account is accurate, one more week may have changed the direction of one of the NHL’s biggest contenders.
