Bruce Cassidy, Rick Tocchet, Daniel Briere and the winless Flyers are on a collision course that's getting harder to ignore with every game.
Cassidy is widely viewed as the most likely coach to land the next NHL opening, and Philadelphia's 0-5-3 start has put Tocchet's seat among the hottest in the league.
The Flyers lost 3-2 in a shootout to Seattle on Tuesday, stretching the winless start to eight games. They've scored 10 goals and allowed 31.
Elliotte Friedman suggested management might look for a spark rather than immediately replacing Tocchet. That patience won't last forever at this rate.
Cassidy, meanwhile, isn't sitting still. He's working as a special adviser with Canada's women's national team ahead of November's World Championships in Denmark.
"This opportunity came up, and it's really helped fill that void," he told The Athletic. "I can help out and I'm learning while I'm here."
Bruce Cassidy's résumé fits a Flyers team searching for answers
The résumé speaks loudly. Cassidy won the 2023 Stanley Cup with Vegas and the 2020 Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year.
He's also been reflecting on his approach. "I don't want to change who I am," he said, describing himself as a direct coach who holds people accountable, while admitting messaging is what he'd examine most.
There's a catch. Cassidy remains under contract with Vegas until June 30, 2027, and the Golden Knights must grant permission for any team to talk to him.
They denied Edmonton and Los Angeles that permission last spring.
If Briere makes a change, Cassidy is the right call. A direct, accountable coach with a Cup ring is exactly what a team this lost needs, and calling Vegas costs nothing.
Keeping a proven coach on the sidelines while your season sinks is like leaving the fire extinguisher locked in the closet.
The Flyers visit Detroit on Thursday, a matchup of two struggling teams.
Cassidy says he'll "cross that bridge" when an opportunity comes. In Philadelphia, that bridge is getting closer with every loss.
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Should the Flyers replace Rick Tocchet with Bruce Cassidy?
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