Boston Herald A year after Bruins hire, Bruce Cassidy says, ‘We’re in a good place’

[Fenway]

Safe to say Cassidy has worked out far better than anyone could have expected.
A year after Bruins hire, Bruce Cassidy says, ‘We’re in a good place’


Going into tonight’s game against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, Cassidy had posted an incredible 50-19-9 record as the bench boss. His team had just one regulation loss in its previous 22 games and were in position to draw within a point of the Tampa Bay Lightning — with a game still in hand — for not only the Atlantic Division lead but the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.

It has been a run that has surprised even the most optimistic Bruins fans.

“It’s been a lot of hockey games, a lot of wins, that’s the good news,” said Cassidy. “That’s how you keep your job and have a few more anniversaries. The team’s going well right now. We’re in a good place. The vision we had when I sat down with Donnie was we wanted to win now but we wanted to incorporate the youth into our lineup. We didn’t know which players it would be. We had a good idea, but we wanted to get some in there and see if they could handle it. That was the big ‘if’ going into it, if they could handle it. And they have. We’ve seen the emergence of Charlie (McAvoy), (Danton) Heinen, (Jake) DeBrusk, now (Matt) Grzelcyk. (Sean) Kuraly I should put in there. So we’ve solidified that energy.

“And we wanted to get our core group back to playing like Stanley Cup champions that they are. So I think we’re getting there. We’re getting our identity again, being hard to play against. The Bruins have always had that. Then part of that vision with those young guys was to be a faster checking team and a faster attacking team. We’re working on that every day, but I think we’ve seen those two areas of our game emerge fairly successfully.”

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[JRull86]

50-19-9 in 78 regular season games since he took over. That's a 115 point pace.

And all we heard was how the bruins did Claude wrong by firing him

 

[missingchicklet]

50-19-9 in 78 regular season games since he took over. That's a 115 point pace.

And all we heard was how the bruins did Claude wrong by firing him

Pretty sure that's not "all we heard." There were plenty of people calling for Claude to be fired, myself not included. I think the Bs success has less to do with firing Claude, and more to do with who was hired to replace him (Obviously the first had to be done to get to the second). Maybe I am giving Cassidy too much credit, but I do not think any of the bigger name coaches available would have the Bs in this good of a spot. It's hard to press as many right buttons as Cassidy has pushed in a league with so much parity. It is appearing that Cassidy was the perfect choice at the perfect time. The job he has done thus far is nothing short of masterful.

 

[JRull86]

Pretty sure that's not "all we heard." There were plenty of people calling for Claude to be fired, myself not included. I think the Bs success has less to do with firing Claude, and more to do with who was hired to replace him (Obviously the first had to be done to get to the second). Maybe I am giving Cassidy too much credit, but I do not think any of the bigger name coaches available would have the Bs in this good of a spot. It's hard to press as many right buttons as Cassidy has pushed in a league with so much parity. It is appearing that Cassidy was the perfect choice at the perfect time. The job he has done thus far is nothing short of masterful.

I mean from the media chums, not on here.

I cant tell you how many articles I read on how the bruins did him wrong with firing him after giving him the mediocre roster they did, etc.

It didn't matter that he was heading towards a third straight DNQ. Coaches have shelf lives, and a fresh perspective is needed eventually, much like what's going on with Coach Q in Chicago.

Cassidy was the perfect hire because he changed the style enough while keeping some of what worked from Claude that the core group had grown accustomed to.

Obviously I never expected them to go on the type of tear they're on now, but I really think Cassidy was the perfect hire. It's a shame for him Vegas has been a juggernaut, because he absolutely deserves Jack Adams votes.

 

[missingchicklet]

I mean from the media chums, not on here.

I cant tell you how many articles I read on how the bruins did him wrong with firing him after giving him the mediocre roster they did, etc.

It didn't matter that he was heading towards a third straight DNQ. Coaches have shelf lives, and a fresh perspective is needed eventually, much like what's going on with Coach Q in Chicago.

Cassidy was the perfect hire because he changed the style enough while keeping some of what worked from Claude that the core group had grown accustomed to.

Obviously I never expected them to go on the type of tear they're on now, but I really think Cassidy was the perfect hire. It's a shame for him Vegas has been a juggernaut, because he absolutely deserves Jack Adams votes.

Ah ok, thanks for clarifying. I agree with all your points. It truly is ashamed about Gallant and Cassidy in respect to the Jack Adams. Both men have done an amazing job, and it stinks that one of them (likely Cassidy) will not get the award

 

[JRull86]

Ah ok, thanks for clarifying. I agree with all your points. It truly is ashamed about Gallant and Cassidy in respect to the Jack Adams. Both men have done an amazing job, and it stinks that one of them (likely Cassidy) will not get the award

Oh it's 100% Gallant. To do what he's done in a first year expansion team? Deserves to be unanimous IMO.

 

[Paddington]

I must admit, I had no idea what to expect from Cassidy and I was nervous as hell. Man, has this team ever exceeded my expectations. Unbelievable job by him, along with a lot of the new blood that has been incorporated into the lineup.

 

[Chief Nine]

And this is what makes Cassidy an excellent leader, he's really got his finger on the pulse of this team it seems:

Going back home to Detroit is always special for Michigan native Torey Krug, but Cassidy made Tuesday’s trip to Little Caesar’s Arena against the Red Wings even more so when he gave Krug the ‘A’ on his sweater as an alternate captain.
“He’s part of that middle leadership group of this hockey club,” explained Cassidy. “With him being a Michigan guy, I talked to (David Backes) about it and he was fully on board with it. I thought he’d earned the right. He’s done a lot of good things for this team and this organization, so it was a little treat, if you want to call it that.”
It certainly went over well with Krug.
“It was awesome. Obviously a very humbling honor to wear an ‘A’ for an Original Six team, and to do it in my hometown in front of friends and family is definitely a special night for sure,” said Krug, adding it gave him even more motivation than usual facing the Wings.
“Regardless of what’s on the sweater, I’m pretty excited to play that team at all times, and to play in front of friends and family is exciting. But it’s definitely an added boost for sure. You want to be a bigger part of the team and have a bigger role. And you want to get a chance to wear it again if you have a good game.”
Krug became a regular in the 2013 run to the Stanley Cup Finals that fell two games shy of the goal. For a long time he seemed to be one of the young guys, an emerging player but not quite a part of the strong leadership group that won a Stanley Cup in 2011.
But by giving Krug the ‘A’ for a game, Cassidy showed that that’s no longer the perception.
Last night, the ‘A’ went back to Backes, while Krug picked up an assist and plus-2 in the 6-1 thrashing of the Rangers.

Bruins notebook: Coach Bruce Cassidy wants Brad Marchand to refine his playing style

 

[HockeyMomx2]

Oh it's 100% Gallant. To do what he's done in a first year expansion team? Deserves to be unanimous IMO.

This is where I have questions....how much of it is Gallant? Vs. How much of it is the fact that every arena they play in, every team they play against, at least one player is out to prove something. The team surrounds that player and implements their own chipped shoulder attitude in their play to support their teammate. It's a team full of pissed off hockey players. That's always hard to play against, no matter the skill level of th team OR coach as a whole, IMO.

 

[BNHL]

And this is what makes Cassidy an excellent leader, he's really got his finger on the pulse of this team it seems:

Going back home to Detroit is always special for Michigan native Torey Krug, but Cassidy made Tuesday’s trip to Little Caesar’s Arena against the Red Wings even more so when he gave Krug the ‘A’ on his sweater as an alternate captain.
“He’s part of that middle leadership group of this hockey club,” explained Cassidy. “With him being a Michigan guy, I talked to (David Backes) about it and he was fully on board with it. I thought he’d earned the right. He’s done a lot of good things for this team and this organization, so it was a little treat, if you want to call it that.”
It certainly went over well with Krug.
“It was awesome. Obviously a very humbling honor to wear an ‘A’ for an Original Six team, and to do it in my hometown in front of friends and family is definitely a special night for sure,” said Krug, adding it gave him even more motivation than usual facing the Wings.
“Regardless of what’s on the sweater, I’m pretty excited to play that team at all times, and to play in front of friends and family is exciting. But it’s definitely an added boost for sure. You want to be a bigger part of the team and have a bigger role. And you want to get a chance to wear it again if you have a good game.”
Krug became a regular in the 2013 run to the Stanley Cup Finals that fell two games shy of the goal. For a long time he seemed to be one of the young guys, an emerging player but not quite a part of the strong leadership group that won a Stanley Cup in 2011.
But by giving Krug the ‘A’ for a game, Cassidy showed that that’s no longer the perception.
Last night, the ‘A’ went back to Backes, while Krug picked up an assist and plus-2 in the 6-1 thrashing of the Rangers.

Bruins notebook: Coach Bruce Cassidy wants Brad Marchand to refine his playing style

Team building gesture by Cassidy.

 

[Fenway]

Just my own observations - practices with Cassidy are almost fun but there is a level of urgency. The bubble players know they could be in Providence tomorrow AND THEY ACCEPT THAT.