The Boston Bruins have named assistant coach Bruce Cassidy the team’s interim head coach, replacing Claude Julien.
Cassidy is in his first campaign with Boston after three seasons as an assistant and five years as head coach of the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Cassidy guided Providence to a record of 207-149-24 (W-L-SOL) from 2011-16, including winning records in all five years and four trips to the Calder Cup Playoffs. Cassidy and the Bruins captured the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy in 2012-13 as the AHL’s regular-season champions.
Current Boston players who played under Cassidy in Providence include Austin Czarnik, David Pastrnak, Ryan Spooner, Frank Vatrano, Brandon Carlo, Torey Krug, Kevan Miller, Colin Miller, Joe Morrow and Zane McIntyre.
This will be Cassidy’s second career stint as an NHL head coach, having previously served as head coach of the Washington Capitals from 2002-04, where he helped lead the Caps to a 39-29-8-6 record and a postseason berth in his first season with the team.
