Mike MacKinnon

RRSS Counsellor. Oilers and Jays Fan. SMU Alumni

[Evan Renaerts @revingev]

the Oilers’ Cassidy Leak is Just Business

People are losing it over the Oilers seeking permission to interview Bruce Cassidy while Kris Knoblauch was still in the seat.

They call it "disrespectful." I call it the modern NHL Playbook. (If the leak never happened KK would have been given his notice and no one would care. Blame the one who leaked it.)

In the high-stakes world of NHL management, GMs don’t fire a coach and then look for a replacement. They execute a "Shadow Search"—vetting and securing their next target while the current coach is still behind the bench most often.

Examples of the "Shadow Search" in Action:

NY Islanders (2026): Fired Patrick Roy and hired Pete DeBoer hours later. That’s not a quick decision; that deal was finalized while Roy was still coaching.

Vegas Golden Knights (2026): Had John Tortorella lined up and ready to sign weeks before they officially let Bruce Cassidy go. (No! That can’t be true..haha)

Minnesota Wild (2023): Dismissed Dean Evason on a Monday and had John Hynes at practice by Tuesday. The "successor" was already in the building.

St. Louis Blues (2024): The second Jim Montgomery became available, the Blues moved. They fired Drew Bannister and had Montgomery signed to a 5-year deal within days. The "process" happened while Bannister was still coaching his final week.

Nashville Predators (2023): John Hynes was fired on a Tuesday; Andrew Brunette was hired Wednesday morning. GM Barry Trotz had his man locked in weeks before the official pink slip was handed out.

Toronto Maple Leafs (2024): Sheldon Keefe was let go after a playoff exit, but the "Berube to Toronto" noise had started weeks earlier. The Leafs moved on Craig Berube immediately because the vetting was already done behind the scenes.

Buffalo Sabres (2024): Don Granato was fired the day after the season ended. Lindy Ruff was hired almost instantly. No wide search, no long interviews—the target was identified and secured long before the final buzzer.

New Jersey Devils (2024): The Devils fired Lindy Ruff in March, but they didn't just "start a search." They already had eyes on Sheldon Keefe. The moment Keefe was let go by Toronto in May, the Devils moved instantly to secure him. The "fit" was identified months before the signature hit the paper.

Columbus Blue Jackets (2026): In a move that shocked the room, the Jackets fired Dean Evason in January 2026.Within hours, they named veteran Rick Bowness as the replacement. You don't pull a coach of Bowness's stature out of "retirement" on a whim—that conversation was happening long before the pink slip was handed to Evason.

LA Kings (March 2026): The Kings fired Jim Hiller and moved immediately to hire D.J. Smith. There was no "interim" period or long-term search—the Kings identified their man while Hiller was still on the bench and pulled the trigger the second they felt the season was slipping.

NY Rangers (May 2026): The Rangers fired Peter Laviolette on April 19. By May 2, they had Mike Sullivan signed. You don’t pull a 2x Cup winner and the Team USA Olympic coach away from Pittsburgh in 13 days without months of back-channel vetting. The Rangers knew Sullivan was their target long before their season ended

Ottawa Senators (2024): While Jacques Martin was finishing the 2023-24 season as the interim, the Senators were already deep in the vetting process for Travis Green. They didn't wait for the season to end to decide; they had Green locked in and ready to be announced the second the "interim" tag was cleared

Detroit Red Wings (2024): On December 26, 2024, the Wings fired Derek Lalonde and immediately named Todd McLellan as the new head coach. Making a coaching change on Boxing Day tells you everything you need to know: the deal was done during the Christmas break while Lalonde was still technically the coach

(NOTE: All these can vary slightly but the coach was already planned out the door and current coach did not know……Read comments for more)

[Patrick Ross @DragonFireIdeas]

Oilers fans: you are hereby requested and required to help this family out if you can. #LetsGoOilers #Oilers #Loilty

[Mike MacKinnon @mmackinnonm]

@TopTierPucks This is may be the first time I’m not sure if they can adjust. I would love to be proved wrong tonight, but it just looks a little different this time around in comparison to years previous.

[Sports on Prime Canada @SportsOnPrimeCA]

Playoff hockey in Edmonton????

Electric ⚡️

[Sportsnet @Sportsnet]

LOUD AND PROUD 🇨🇦

O Canada at @RogersPlace… there’s nothing like it.

[Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 @OilersNation]

CHEEKS AND DICKS
CHEEKS AND DICKS

THE OILERS WIN GAME 1

[Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 @OilersNation]

Gene Principe shared an awesome story on the broadcast about how Connor Ingram paid Jeff Lang, Oilers Head Equipment Manager, for a new stick after breaking his after Monday night.

📹: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers

[Bob Stauffer @Bob_Stauffer]

Great debate on last night's panel.
FWIW:

EDM (5v5) with Bouchard: +24/56.23 XGF%
EDM (5v5) w/o Bouchard: -32/48.26 XGF%

COL (5v5) with Makar: +31/54.2 XGF%
COL (5v5) w/o Makar: +54/56.9 XGF%

PK TOI:
Bouchard: 144:30 (Leads EDM)
Makar: 144:31 (4th on COL)

[Mike MacKinnon @mmackinnonm]

@AdamsOnHockey This is the exact same argument I make as well. It’s wild the mental gymnastics people do.

[PuckEmpire @puckempire]

How is McDavid not on this list? Genuinely how. He's less valuable to Edmonton this season than MacK to Colorado?

Avs are gonna have 6 50+ pt guys outside of MacK this season.

Oilers have 4, and his #2 man is missing the last month of the season.

[Mike MacKinnon @mmackinnonm]

@mathewjdp Do you think he still projects as a potential middle 6 forward for the Oil?

[OverDrive @OverDrive1050]

FULL 10th Anniversary montage for the X audience👇👇

[OverDrive @OverDrive1050]

Ten years. Countless takes. Infinite nonsense.

Relive the biggest laughs and best moments as we celebrate 10 years of Hayes, Noodles and Odog on OverDrive. You’re gonna wanna watch this!

(Full 90-minute montage in the post below!)

#OverDrive10Years

[Shepmates @shepmates]

“They’ve done it again!” Oilers and cooked on this 😂🙌🏻🔥

[Barstool Sports @barstoolsports]

Patriots & Bears fans seeing this

[NFL Memes @NFLMemes]

Packers-Bears recap

[🦂THEE Auntie with no kids♏️ @prmade313raised]

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

DON’T DRINK AND FUCKING DRIVE!

[Mike MacKinnon @mmackinnonm]

@OverDrive1050 @FanDuelCanada Whoops

[Mike MacKinnon @mmackinnonm]

@dstaples @TheCultofHockey Not sure why everyone is enamoured with him. I understand he’s had big moments but this year he’s been worse than Skinner. I don’t think they should have to pay the price he will cost. I understand change is needed even if it is a lateral move but this isnt lateral IMO.

[Daddy’s Lambeau 🧀 @Daddys_Lambeau]

This is too funny 🤣😭 #GoPackGo