‘We’re gonna be hard to handle’: Knights coach enters Year 4 with big goals

Bruce Cassidy is in the hallway near his office at City National Arena, ready for one more round of questions during what’s already been an exhausting week.

The first question is a layup. Does it feel like he’s entering his fourth season as coach of the Golden Knights?

“Well, it’s gone by quick, I’ll say that, which means it’s enjoyable. If it drags, it probably means it’s a grind,” Cassidy said. “It’s starting to feel removed from that.”

The “that” Cassidy was referring to is the Knights’ Stanley Cup championship in 2023. It’s hard for him not to think back on how his first season ended every time he walks into the team’s practice rink. There are reminders of what his group accomplished everywhere.

Cassidy is ready to scratch that itch again. The Knights return most of their players from last year’s team, which finished with the NHL’s third-best record and won the Pacific Division.

But it also lost to the rival Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the playoffs and was shut out its final two games.

“(The motivation) is always there,” Cassidy said. “Don’t get me wrong. We’re putting the time in every year and just trying to structure things so we get better. But I think there’s a sense that you hope some of the things that prevented us from advancing (are behind us).”

Adding Marner

Cassidy said after last season ended the Knights needed to change their approach to scoring. He doesn’t want to overhaul the team’s entire offensive game plan, just tweak the mindset a little. He wants more pucks going toward the net.

The Knights went out and added a player who should help this offseason. They acquired right wing Mitch Marner, who scored 102 points last year, in a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1.

Marner, 28, isn’t known for his goal scoring. But the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 draft is a strong playmaker and should provide some of what Cassidy is looking for.

Marner also arrives with plenty to prove. He’s soared in the regular season, but the Maple Leafs only advanced past the first round of the playoffs twice in his nine years with the team.

“A guy like Marner could help you offensively where it’s dried up,” Cassidy said. “He’s got motivation to prove that he can get it done in April and May, so I like that combination.”

Others to step up

Cassidy also believes some of the Knights’ other recent additions can help the team get over the hump.

Center Tomas Hertl and defenseman Noah Hanifin are entering their second full seasons in Las Vegas after being acquired prior to the 2024 trade deadline. Hertl scored 32 goals a year ago and helped the Knights finish with the second-best power play in the NHL. Hanifin will be asked to step into a larger role on the blue line with defenseman Alex Pietrangelo headed for long-term injured reserve due to a hip injury.

Left wing Brandon Saad is entering his first full season with the Knights after joining the team in January. He signed a one-year, $2 million contract to return this summer and should help the team’s depth scoring.

The Knights hope that continuity helps them remain contenders in a stacked Western Conference. The Oilers likely aren’t going away after back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final. The Dallas Stars should be a threat again in their first full season with right wing Mikko Rantanen.

“The West is tough. That’s continuing to trend that way,” Cassidy said. “That part, it’s a little bit of hockey, right? You got to beat the best to be the best at the end.”

Return to Italy

This season will feature plenty of travel for Cassidy. He will be an assistant coach on Team Canada for the Winter Olympics in Milan this February.

The trip will be a homecoming of sorts for him. Cassidy, a defenseman, played three years with Alleghe HC in Italy from 1991 to 1993. Alleghe is about a four-hour drive from Milan, but he’s still excited to return to the country.

“I was over where they’re doing most of the alpine events in Cortina, but we did play against Milan,” Cassidy said. “Going back after these, what, 35 years, it might be interesting to see the country again.”

The Olympics will be tricky to navigate. The NHL season will take a long pause to accommodate the Games. The Knights take on the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 5 and then won’t play a game again until Feb. 25.

Cassidy knows navigating the schedule will be tricky, but he’s still excited for the season. Especially because he has high expectations for his team.

“We just need to be healthy at the right time, because I think, man, we’re gonna be hard to handle,” Cassidy said. “We’re gonna be deep and good in all situations. I think you need that to win in the end. You need to be able to win in different ways. We’ve proven that.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.