Bruce Cassidy is still at the center of it, and the Vegas Golden Knights keep drawing heat as teams wait on interview permission.
What started as frustration in Edmonton has now spread to Los Angeles, turning one coaching search into a bigger league-wide issue.
Earlier this week, reports said the Oilers had not been granted permission to speak with Cassidy about their head coaching vacancy.
That alone raised eyebrows across the league.
Now the same holdup appears to be hitting the Kings.
Elliotte Friedman reported that Los Angeles was also still waiting for approval to interview Cassidy.
The key detail is this: Vegas has not been reported as giving a flat no.
Friedman said the Golden Knights appear to be dragging their feet, and that distinction has only added more fuel.
That matters because delays in May can shape an entire summer.
Front offices want to move fast once the coaching carousel starts spinning, especially with multiple openings on the board.
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Vegas is shaping the coaching market by hiding Bruce Cassidy
As of late Tuesday night, neither Edmonton nor Los Angeles had reportedly received the green light to move ahead.
That left two rivals waiting on the same organization.
The timing makes it even louder.
The Golden Knights are still in the middle of their second-round playoff series, and every extra day leaves interested teams stuck in neutral.
Then another opening hit the board.
The Toronto Maple Leafs fired Craig Berube on Wednesday morning, creating one more major vacancy and one more team that could have interest in Cassidy.
That is where the story really turns.
This is no longer just about Vegas managing its own business. It is about one club affecting the pace of the entire coaching market.
Around the league, the perception is getting sharper. Some will call it strategy.
Others will call it pettiness. Either way, the frustration is no longer quiet.
And until the Golden Knights finally give teams a clear answer on Bruce Cassidy, that noise is only going to keep getting louder.
Are the Golden Knights dragging this out on purpose?
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