The Bruins and GM Don Sweeney made official what most believed was the case today- Bruce Cassidy has been named the 28th head coach in team history.
Here’s a part of the release. The rest is over at the Boston Bruins website.
BOSTON – Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, April 26, that Bruce Cassidy has been named the 28th head coach of the Boston Bruins.
Cassidy served as Interim Head Coach for the Bruins’ final 33 regular and postseason games, compiling a 18-8-1 regular season record and propelling the team to a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2013-14 season. Since Cassidy assumed head coaching responsibilities on February 9, the Bruins ranked first in the NHL in goals per game (3.37), first in the NHL in fewest shots allowed (741), tied for second in the NHL in wins (18), tied for second in the NHL in power play percentage (27.8%), tied for third in the NHL in goals allowed per game (2.30), tied for fifth in the NHL in faceoff percentage (53.6%) and tied for sixth in the NHL in takeaways (229).
Before joining Boston as an assistant prior to the start of the 2016-17 season, Cassidy spent five seasons (2011-16) as head coach of the Providence Bruins, having spent the three previous seasons (2008-11) with the club as an assistant. The 51-year-old native of Ottawa, Ontario compiled a 207-128-45 overall record in 380 games at the helm, including winning seasons in all five years and postseason berths in each of his final four seasons in Providence. In 2015-16, Cassidy helped lead the P-Bruins to a 41-22-13 record.
TSP take: It’s hard to argue with the way the team pulled together down the stretch to make the playoffs after two cringe-inducing flameouts in 2015 and 2016. Cassidy earned the chance to take charge of the team going forward. He’s a very knowledgeable hockey guy who appears to have learned from some mistakes and missteps that were publicized when he was with the Washington Capitals.
As pointed out by a fan on Twitter, he doesn’t have a stellar playoff record in the AHL, but it’s hard to hold the 2017 series against Ottawa against him with the kind of depleted lineup he oversaw- the guys played hard and showed a lot of fight in a closely-contested series with the Senators. It could have gone Boston’s way, but didn’t.
Cassidy’s work in Providence gives him an advantage that Claude Julien didn’t have when he was hired in 2007, coming into the organization new after being dismissed by New Jersey. Cassidy’s firsthand knowledge of many of the younger players in the system who either played for him in the AHL or at the summer development camps will allow for a different mindset and decision-making than fans were perhaps used to seeing with Julien. At least in the next year or two, that is- as Cassidy spreads his wings and establishes himself as the Boston bench boss. We could see a change in personnel in the coaching staff as well, but for now- the focus is on Cassidy and a fresh new era in B’s coaching for the first time in a decade.
We’ll always respect Julien for what he accomplished, culminating in one Stanley Cup championship in 2011 and nearly another in 2013. Nothing lasts forever, and for now- Cassidy is the right person to lead the team in a new direction.
We congratulate Coach Cassidy on securing the job and know he’s already rolling up the sleeves and getting to work. As a kid who grew up cheering for Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins, you have to be happy for him- this is truly a dream job, and you can bet that he’ll do his best to stay on.
scoutingpost 
Cassidy earned a shot but jury is certainly still out. He knew the ahl roster of skilled forwards but didn’t incorporate any other then a grinder in kuraly and that concerns me. Season finish with only one line that could make an offensive play. I like his d activating approach but handling of forwards is concerning.
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