Bruce Cassidy may be out of a traditional NHL bench job for now, but he’s still very much in the coaching orbit - and still looking at the Maple Leafs’ chair Jim Hiller currently occupies.
The Leafs made their call on the future behind the bench for 2026-27 and beyond by settling on Hiller, a move that came with plenty of noise. Fans had pushed for names like David Carle and Joe Pavelski, but Toronto instead landed on an established NHL coach.
Cassidy was part of that conversation too, though he never got the chance to test the market. The Vegas Golden Knights kept him under contract and on the payroll even after firing him, which meant he couldn’t simply walk into another opportunity.
For now, Cassidy is staying active in another role. He’s working with the Team Canada women’s team as they get ready for the IIHF World Championships in Denmark in November. And in an interview with Pierre LeBrun, Cassidy made it clear he’s glad to be back in the day-to-day grind of coaching:
"I've been going to training camps for 45 years as a player and then as a coach. So we have one here.
It's what you're used to. Just getting back involved, watching video, getting familiar with some of the players here, helping to prepare practice, going on the ice, teaching again.
Just trying to stay in a routine, so to speak. Great people here.
This opportunity came up, and it's really helped fill that void. It's been great.
I can help out and I'm learning while I'm here."
That’s the voice of a coach who still wants back in. Cassidy’s not treating this like a soft landing; he’s treating it like a way to stay sharp, stay connected, and stay ready for the next NHL opening.
And the Maple Leafs remain the job he seems to have his eye on.
Hiller’s early reception has been mixed, and his latest decision to bench Gavin McKenna drew heavy backlash from fans and analysts. If this season goes sideways and Toronto decides Hiller isn’t the right fit, the club could find itself back in the market before long.
There’s also the wrinkle of Cassidy’s contract situation in Vegas. He remains under contract through June 30th, 2027, and one possibility is that the Golden Knights are simply holding onto him for the long haul. If they aren’t convinced Ryan Craig is the answer, or if they want a familiar voice in the room, Cassidy could be brought back into the fold.
That still sounds like a long shot. But for the Maple Leafs, the larger question is whether Hiller is the man to guide them going forward, especially in the Gavin McKenna era. If not, a new opening could come sooner than expected.
And if that door opens, Bruce Cassidy appears ready to walk through it.
In Other News...
Oilers Linked To A Top-Six Target They May Struggle To Land
Kirill Marchenko gave the Maple Leafs a jolt with a hat trick in a game that still slipped away in overtime after Toronto blew a lead. It was the kind of night that can leave a team with mixed emotions: plenty of offense, but not enough finishing when it mattered most. For a club still trying to sort out its identity, the performance offered both a glimpse of what the lineup can do and a reminder of how fragile a win can be.
The Leafs also had to navigate a more concerning moment when John Tavares exited in the third period after an awkward collision with Josh Norris. Jim Hiller had no update afterward, leaving Toronto with more questions than answers as it heads into the next stretch. Even on a night when Marchenkos scoring stood out, the bigger concern may be whether the Leafs can quickly get clarity on Tavares and steady themselves before the details around his status become more than a subplot. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Loss Just Turned Gavin McKenna Into A Bigger Debate
The Maple Leafs overtime loss to Buffalo already stung because Toronto had carried a two-goal lead into the third period and still let it slip away. But the result was only part of the story. What drew the loudest reaction was the handling of rookie Gavin McKenna, whose night took an unexpected turn and quickly shifted the conversation from a frustrating collapse to the bigger issue of how the Leafs are managing a young player who is supposed to be part of their future.
Jim Hiller said he took responsibility for the decision, which only added to the scrutiny around trust and development in a season where every lineup choice feels magnified. With John Tavares injured, the Leafs may have a natural opening for McKenna to get more involved next game, and that possibility now carries even more weight after a loss that left both the standings picture and the rookies role looking unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Suddenly Have A Tavares Problem They Can't Ignore
John Tavares left the Maple Leafs game against the Buffalo Sabres with a lower-body injury after a collision, and Toronto was left waiting for an update that never came. The timing could hardly be worse. With Max Domi also out, the Leafs suddenly found themselves without a dependable playmaking center, the kind of absence that ripples through both the top six and the power play.
For a team that leans on Tavares not just for offense but for face-offs and veteran steadiness, the concern goes beyond one game. Any lineup shuffle at this point has the feel of a stopgap, because Toronto is now having to consider how long it can function without one of its most trusted middlemen and what that does to the flow of its attack. [Read more 🡒]