Bruce Cassidy will become the next coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported the news on Tuesday afternoon and the organization later confirmed the news.
He will succeed Peter DeBoer, who was let go after he was unable to take his team to the playoffs last series.
“I look forward to joining an organization that shares my desire to win and I look forward to working with all the talent that has been brought together in Vegas,” Cassidy said in the Golden Knights’ statement. It was impressive to see the city hosting the Golden Knights in this way. My family and I can’t wait to be a part of it. »
Cassidy has been at the helm of the Boston Bruins for the past six years. He was dismissed recently despite amassing 107 points in the regular season.
“The Golden Knights are very pleased to have Bruce come to lead the team,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a statement. His success in Boston during the six seasons is very impressive. His teams had clear identities and were among the best in the league in goals scored, conceded and on special teams. He’s the right coach for us right now. »
He also won the Jack-Adams trophy during the 2019-2020 season. A former defenseman, Cassidy played just 36 career NHL games.
His first opportunity to coach an NHL club came in 2002-03, when the Washington Capitals made him their coach. He was then only 37 years old.
Fired by the Caps early in the 2003-2004 campaign, he was then briefly an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks, before spending a season and a half in the OHL, with the Kingston Frontenacs.
In 2008, he joined the Providence, AHL Bruins as an assistant coach. He finally spent eight years with this team, including five as head coach, before being called upon to take Claude Julien’s place behind the Bruins bench in February 2017.
Roy looks forward to working under him
The Quebec center of the Knights Nicolas Roy mentioned in an interview with the RDS.ca that he was happy that a trainer of Cassidy’s caliber had been chosen by the general staff as a replacement for Peter DeBoer, sacked a month ago almost to the day.
“I don’t know him that much, actually, except that I spoke to Jérémy Lauzon, who I know well and who also lives in Abitibi. He played for him in Boston, and he told me he liked it. He’s an intense coach who gets the most out of his players. I’ve spoken with a few of the guys, and we think it’s a nice addition,” he said.
The 25-year-old forward admitted he was slightly surprised when he learned of Cassidy’s hiring, given his very recent dismissal by the Bruins.
“Of course it happened quickly. But at the same time, when a candidate who has demonstrated that he can win his teams becomes available, the teams without a coach show their interest. I’ve only heard good words, so for sure I can’t wait to start playing for him. »
Roy agreed that the arrival of a new voice was no luxury for Vegas, after a second half of the season marked by a seemingly endless wave of injuries, as well as inconsistent performances.
It all came down to the Knights’ first playoff ban since joining the NHL as an expansion club in 2017-18.
“With all the injuries, we put ourselves in a difficult position at the end of the season, when we had to win a lot of games to survive. I think when that happens, you have to stick to your identity. Basically, we are a team that works hard and does not concede many goals. I think we moved away from that at the end of the season, but it’s a good lesson for us. We are a talented team and we missed the playoffs for the first time. We don’t want that to happen again next year,” assured Roy, who believes Cassidy’s appointment is an important step in that direction.