(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
This week former Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy officially joined the available coaching class of 2022. With several other highly regarded head coaches on the market, you’d have to imagine the same suitors are reaching out to Cassidy, including the Golden Knights.
Ex- Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy conducted a Master Class in how to address your dubious dismissal with grace and dignity. Whoever gets him next is very fortunate.
— Bob Ryan (@GlobeBobRyan) June 10, 2022
The 57-year old coach has strong ties to the Golden Knights organization. George McPhee hired Cassidy to his first NHL head coaching job in 2002. Subsequently, McPhee ended up firing the freshman coach after 110 games behind the bench. Cassidy was a young coach at the time and McPhee was known for his quick trigger finger. It was somewhat of a disaster.
Over the years the two matured and became successful NHL statesmen. However, both are still seeking their first championship.
It’s exhilarating to have that opportunity and that’s my goal to get my name on the Stanley Cup. –Bruce Cassidy on Zoom call with reporters
Some of the complaints McPhee dealt with in Washington were Cassidy’s inability to communicate with certain veterans and the amount of pressure he placed on young players. Both knocks followed him nearly two decades later to Boston. Thankfully, the Golden Knights are a roster full of desperate, hungry veterans.
However, Cassidy disputed the accusations that he’s hard on younger players in his recent Zoom chat with the Boston media.
When I came on board, we changed a lot of the players and we infused our team with a lot of young talent; Jake DeBrusk, Anders Bjork, Danton Heinen, Pasta was still young, Grzelcyk, Carlo, McAvoy. And I think a lot of those guys have gone and had real nice careers. I’m very proud of my record with young guys. –Cassidy on Zoom call with reporters
20 years later things are much, much different. Cassidy has successfully built up a strong resume, coaching the Bruins to the playoffs six times in six seasons. Including, an appearance in the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals.
Now that Cassidy is available and interviewing with teams, when will the Golden Knights meet with Cassidy? If it hasn’t happened already.
I believe in myself when it comes to coaching young guys and in my next challenge I’ll make sure I’m mindful of the messaging, because I respect Donnie when he talks to me about what I need to do better. He’s been in the game a long time, so that’s something I’ll have to take with me to the next job.-Cassidy on Zoom call with reporters
Similar to the Golden Knights’ management, the Bruins’ front office fired their coach while having major shortcomings of their own. In 2015 the Bruins selected twice in the first round and passed on Matthew Barzal, Kyle Connor and Joel Eriksson Ek. Quite like Vegas’ front office skipping Robert Thomas, Jake Oettinger, and Jason Robertson in 2017. In the NHL it’s common for coaches to take the fall for management’s poor drafting.
Not every player is going to work out, not every player going to connect with you. In my next challenge, I’ll make sure that I’m mindful of the messaging… I have to take with me to the next job, but still drive home the accountability because I don’t think you have much of a team if players aren’t held accountable to a standard. –Cassidy on Zoom call with reporters
So far, the Golden Knights have been relatively quiet. Other than their reported Zoom call with Barry Trotz there hasn’t been much noise on the coaching front. Likely, the silence means management is working on several scenarios and Cassidy is possibly one of them.
THE hockey GOD
color me dubious
QUESTION:
would VGK have made the playoffs this years sans EICHEL
and if Krebs & Tuch remained with the team ???
I say YES.
knights fan in minny
no one listens to you sport
SethB
No. Tuch has always sucked in crunch time, Stone was way more injured than they led on, and the team simply wasn’t good enough. Eichel is the centerpiece of the team going forward.
Carl
Agreed
THE hockey GOD
CArl I agree with you .
don
Krebs is just one step of many better than Cody Glass and i mean 1 step better
THE hockey GOD
@ Don ! One Step Beyond !!
Ms. Vivacious
Well, KMcC is back from Canada, early, so probably happened, happening, or about to happen, is my guess. Sounds like a good fit, to bring things full circle.
Blitz
I was all about Bruce Cassidy, but I didn’t realize McPhee fucked him over. That piece of trash leaves bodies in his wake and never realizes when something is good. No way Cassidy comes here. I actually hope he goes to Dallas now and not the rumored Pete “destroy a team in two years” Deboer.
NHL network suggested Paul Maurice to VGK last in their little “where they going” segment last night. That would be stupid of VGK so my guess is it will probably happen.
Fred
Thank you hockey genius
Julie
This may be off, but what about Wayne Gretzky? He was doing some coaching in Arizona awhile back. It wasn’t long and I didn’t get why he stopped.
THE hockey GOD
i like wG Julie, and I hope the crazy Russian doesn’t pass him. Due to rule changes the crazy Russian is getting more goals than WG would have gotten. Not apples to apples.
As a coach WG is not a good coach, great players rarely make good coaches. WG couldn’t coach a dog to fetch a stick. IMHO. I would eat my hat, wig, and fur coat if GMGM hires WG. Or that other guy, what’s his name- long haired ex coach Barry Melrose place.
but what do I know ?
knights fan in minny
did you see god or what
Julie
I agree with you on ovechkin. He doesn’t Garner much respect here mostly because it’s always about himself rather than elevating the team which Gretzky was great at as well as his goals. I saw the Gretzky display at the Edmonton museum. He set all kinds of records.
I have heard great players don’t make good coaches. Clearly something didn’t click while he was in Arizona. Would be cool though if he could turn that around but that seems like a pipedream.
goalie trade
Cassidy for coach.
also, looks like Ottawa is interested in trading for William Karlsson. They are reportedly willing to give up their #1 pick, which is seventh overall, and a prospect, to get a veteran center like Karlsson or Kevin Fiala.
THE hockey GOD
GT
VGK should make that trade ! But they won’t.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, that would be the
newsreels highlight title !! Color me dubious, but not so much as I would eat my hat or top hat.
Mike StG
I hope not (on Karlsson). My wife is a big fan. Lol
https://share.icloud.com/photos/057GgnOJJ8FXRHXmtsZfRDc6A
Pistol Pete
Nice!
goalie trade
likely 7th pick= Matthew Savoie of Winnipeg (WHL)
Matthew Savoie, C, Winnipeg (WHL): As one of the most dynamic skaters in this draft class, Savoie (5-9, 175) was seventh in the Western Hockey League with 90 points (35 goals, 55 assists) in 65 games, and had 34 power-play points (12 goals, 22 assists).
a speedy, skilled forward, Savoie is among the fastest skaters available, NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said Savoie is, “Maybe the most natural goal scorer in this draft class.”
Mike StG
Savoie is 5’-9”. Not your prototypical VGK player. Too small.
Pistol Pete
Marchy and Gaudreau just 5’9″ also. Actually I thought Gaudreau was even shorter but apparently not.
Carl
What is your source? If true then VGK should make the deal.
Jeremy Craven
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!! This might be the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time.
VGK Fan
I find it odd that Ottawa would trade the 7th pick for Wild Bill that seems like a lot to give up. Maybe I’m wrong though.
knights fan in minny
a number 1 for wild bill i think guerin would jump on that
THE hockey GOD
Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
·
1h
Hearing #Flyers have narrowed down their coaching search, per sources. Finalists believed to include Barry Trotz and John Tortorella.
JT odds on favorite, but what do I know? Philly is close to BT home in DC.
Mike StG
McKenna thinks it will be either Cassidy or Tocchet to coach VGK. I agree, and would be happy with either. If I had to choose between the two it would be Cassidy.
Tim
Mike we all have an opinion and I respect yours but I wouldn’t touch any coach with a 10 foot pole if his last name didn’t start with a Q. The question is do you want to win or fuck around personally I like to win.
knights fan in minny
how do you know q would make them a winner
Pistol Pete
I agree on Q. Trouble is he would be too controversial for the team to take on. Too many fans hold him responsible for mishandling the Kyle Beach sex case. Personally I think those guys with Q leading the way should have suspended (with pay) the video coach immediately at the meeting where the incident was brought up. Q find someone else to do the videos. Instead they kept him on (resigned three weeks after the y won the Cup) and it got ugly when Beach came out eleven years later. I listened to the Beach interview on YouTube. It’s obvious he knew he made a grave mistake in allowing what happened to happen. It ruined his career. I still find it very curious a top prospect power forward 6’3″ and over 200 lb. woiuld actually allow another male to do what he did not to mention the guy was like 5’7″ 140 lb. There were runors in the locker room something happened and he took a lot of shit over it. I know he was victimized in some sense but honestly one has to question why he was not more ssertive in rebuffing Aldrich’s advances especially as the acts went down.
To be honest this was just bad luck for the Blackhawks brass. They did mishandle the situation, but still.
Pistol Pete
P. S.
Hockey players are generally considered to be tough. It’s a high speed collision sport where the rate of injury is high. To be fair, Theo Fleury, a remarkably tough (fought a lot) undersized great player was sexually abused as a junior player by a coach who was later convicted of sex crimes, but before Beach had NHL hockey ever seen a case of sexual assault by a male on a player? Probably not. In that room when the team
executives heard the allegations against the video coach they must have thought to themselves how in the world could a player allow that to happen? Kyle Beach surely regretted soon after the incident that he did allow it. Again, they should have suspended the guy immediately but that was their only mistake, otherwise it was nothing but a freak lousy piece of bad luck.
Pistol Pete
In any case if Beach did not come out Q.would still be coaching the Panthers rendering the whole debate on him coming to Vegas moot.
Mike StG
PP, you’re starting to blame the victim. The person with the power is to blame. Same as how a man can be sexually harassed or even assaulted by a woman superior at work. The power is in their authority, perhaps in this case of a coach who could derail his career if he didn’t submit.
I tend to not blame Q for his silence as much as others do. There were a lot of other factors that were pressuring him to look the other way. Doesn’t excuse him, but it is something to consider.
VGK Fan
Blaming the victim?
Mike StG
Tim, so if Bettman won’t allow Q to coach again (at this time) do you just have NO coach?
You can’t just say Q or nobody. Nobody is who they got now. 🙂
Tim
You know my friend there’s been a lot worse things happen in sports besides a coach with a blind eye to what happened. Check out Ohio State with the John Sandusky fiasco now that was brutal but life went on. There’s not a retread coach out there worth interviewing let alone hiring and I think they know it.
VGK Fan
Tim.
Penn State not OSU.
Julie
Side note, the Rangers are out now. TB is off to face Colorado. I can’t say I like either team, but if I have to pick, I’ll root for Colorado.
Good to see Gallant get that far. I know some here don’t care for him, but if you can give me today to be happy for him without going off about how he didn’t call that timeout in the Sharks game years ago for Vegas, I will be happy to entertain you tomorrow. 🙂
Aaron Hill
VGK must fire GM Kelly McCrimmon asap, hes destroyed this team. He trades for Nolan Patrick, whose career is probably over and also takes on Max ( I’m always hurt ) Pacioretty. Seriously what is owner Bill Foley thinking ?
Pistol Pete
Gallant and his Rangers did great coming back from 1-3 and 0-2 vs. Pens and Canes but getting swept by the Lightning after going up 2-0, that is tough. Was Gallant out coached by Cooper down the stretch or was it just the normal ebb and flow of the players?
Was Gallant out coached by DeBoer when he relinquished a 3-1 series lead and gave up four goals to that 5 min. major? Who knows?
Anyways I am a GG fan and will always be indebted to him for the role he played in galvanizing the year one roster. I do however believe McPhee and McCrimmon had a clue.
Mojave Dan
GG got out coached by DeBoer on one five minute power play. Leaving Engelland out there and not calling a time out. Call that a brain cramp. Other than that, he was a good coach for the Knights and Foley over-reacted.
Arnold Rothstein
out coached ? NO
the BOLTS Are plain and simple the BEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE
TEAM ARNOLD picked every playoff series except the
Rangers beating the Canes, which they did in GAME 7.
Congrats to GG for not screwing up GAme 6 like he did with Game 7 in VGK @ SJS in year two. The Rangers will be a force if GG doesn’t screw up the team next year, like he did to VGK.
knights fan in minny
should be a good cup final
Mojave Dan
GG got out coached by DeBoer on one five minute power play. Leaving Engelland out there and not calling a time out. Call that a brain cramp. Other than that, he was a good coach for the Knights and Foley over-reacted.
TS
Shesterkin was Spectacular during playoffs, ESPECIALLY the final game last night. The brutal Bolt onslaught all game was, in the end, insurmountable. His teammates LET HIM DOWN. I now understand why the fans shout “I-GOR!”so much! He is MAF on STEROIDS!
Also, Gallant benching Reaves may have taken the heat/ spark out of the Rangers. Lack of speed, as was stated? Or,……?
The Avalanche have been my CUP pick all along—great to see a team from out West out- skate those tough Nor-Easters and Canadiens!!
Blitz
Gallant and the Rangers were beat by the better team. TB is legit, as we already knew. Once TB adjusted to the rangers (basically game 3) it was over. Solid series, great goal tending. Actually how goal tending should look, not just some giant guy that fills the net hoping pucks hit him.
I actually like how the AVS play so easy to root for them as the west team. Don’t really care to see TB 3-peat, but am impressed they made it here again. War AVS!
TS
Yes, sir, Blitz!! Back-to-back cups for TB is enough glory for a decade or so! Gonna be a barnburner! Well-rested Avs vs BIG ice presence, like Maroon– he is a Beast out there!
The Curse
Enough with the “Q” BS… Another sociopath is not what we need!
Getting rid of the personality trait at all levels starting with ownership and then to our 2nd GM is out only hope.
Pistol Pete
I don’t think you get it. The video coach Aldrich was the sociopath. Every else victims. Blackhawks management every bit as much as Beach himself imo. As I mentioned had Beach not come out 11 years after the incident, Quenneville would still be in FLA where the Panthers might have fared better in the playoffs. He is hands down the best coach out there.
VGK Fan
PP,
Blaming the victim this is the reason women never come out because of people like you.
We Need Him
Patrick Roy