OccamsRazor Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Sooooo... The Knights are rolling the dice on Bruce, eh? I posted in a Vegas thread elsewhere that George McPhee would need to great real creative, real quick in order to right the Vegas ship that, since acquiring Jack Eichel, has gone a bit sideways. Bruce Cassidy won't be a miracle worker, but given that he got LOTS of mileage out of the players he had in Boston, and merging the talents of star players like Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak with blue collar types, I think it is safe to say Vegas is banking he can do the same with the star players, starting with Eichel and Stone of course, and the blue collar types he will be coaching there. McPhee has lots of other work to do with this roster, but hiring a solid coach like Cassidy certainly is a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewin Flames Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Vegas Golden Knights hire Bruce Cassidy as new head coach The Vegas Golden Knights have hired Bruce Cassidy as their new head coach, the team announced Tuesday. Cassidy, the longtime Bruins coach who was surprisingly let go by the team this month, replaces the fired Peter DeBoer in Las Vegas. Cassidy was expected to be a hot commodity on the NHL job market, and that proved to be the case. His agreement with the Golden Knights came just over a week after his June 6 firing by Boston. He had coached the Bruins since February 2017, going 245-108-46 and leading them to the playoffs in each of his six seasons, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2019. Boston was eliminated in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes this season. Vegas fired DeBoer in mid-May after the team stumbled down the stretch and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since entering the league in the 2017-18 season. He had a record of 98-50-12 in three seasons, leading the Golden Knights to the conference finals in 2020 and the playoffs' penultimate round in 2021. But 2021-22 was a different story. The Golden Knights struggled through injuries and salary-cap-related lineup challenges to finish with a 43-31-8 (94 points) record, missing the playoff cut by four points after being a preseason Stanley Cup favorite. They had a late-season stretch that saw them get one win in six critical games, including a shootout loss at the Dallas Stars that acted as a de facto playoff game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewin Flames Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Gallant, DeBoer, Cassidy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Brewin Flames said: Gallant, DeBoer, Cassidy.... Sounds like the cast of a good spaghetti Western, no? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewin Flames Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 From the cold shoulder in the Hub of the Universe to a chilled T-Mobile Arena alongside the sunny Strip in Las Vegas … just … like … that. © Jonathan WiggsBruce Cassidy was fired by the Bruins a few weeks after they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Eight days after Bruce Cassidy was abruptly sent packing from behind the Bruins bench, he was named Tuesday as the coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, the third bench boss in the team’s history. The Golden Knights confirmed the hire on their Twitter account at approximately 6 p.m., approximately two hours after rumors of the move broke on the social media platform. “I am excited to join an organization that shares my commitment to winning and can’t wait to get to work with the talent that has been assembled in Vegas,” Cassidy said in a statement released by the club. “It’s been impressive to watch the city embrace the Golden Knights from afar, and my family and I look forward to becoming a part of that.” A text sent to Cassidy’s mobile phone by the Globe, seeking comment, was not immediately returned. Cassidy, 57, takes over for Peter DeBoer, who was dismissed May 16 after Vegas went 43-31-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time since entering the league as its 31st member club for the start of the 2017-18 season. Cassidy, who delivered a dazzling .672 points percentage in his five-plus seasons in Boston, is an ideal fit in Las Vegas on a number of levels. Foremost, he is an experienced coach with an outstanding track record — the Bruins qualified for the postseason each of his six seasons behind the bench. He is also a huge fan and consummate salesman for the sport. Vegas has proven to be a fanatical, hockey-mad desert outpost, unlike the struggling Phoenix market, and now Vegas fans and local media no doubt will be further engaged in the product with Cassidy on the job. Patient, insightful, and often humorous with his day-to-day coaching commentary, he will help sell the sport in a non-traditional market where the only ice to be found in town must be manufactured. Cassidy is arriving in Vegas at a time when the luster of the franchise’s early days, which included a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season, is in need of some burnishing. General manager Kelly McCrimmon, brother of onetime Bruins defenseman Brad McCrimmon, made a bold trade this past season to acquire franchise center Jack Eichel from Buffalo. Eichel, recovering from unorthodox neck surgery, finally made it into the lineup late in the season, but he was not enough to prevent Vegas from avoiding the postseason DNQ. The Golden Knights finished two wins (4 points) shy of edging out Nashville for the final wild-card spot in the West. Upon Cassidy’s promotion to the top job here in February 2017 to replace Claude Julien, the Bruins were on the cusp of missing the postseason for a third consecutive year. He inherited a team barely over .500 that season (26-23-1) and drove it to a stellar 18-8-1 mark (.685) over the final 27 games, lifting the Bruins into a first-round playoff matchup against the Senators. The Knights, who entered the league with Gerard Gallant (now with the Rangers) as their coach, should benefit from Cassidy’s up-tempo approach, though the shift in pace should not be as acute or obvious from DeBoer to Cassidy as it was from Julien to Cassidy. The initial challenge for Cassidy will be to search for different chemistry among his forwards — Job No. 1 there to find the right wingers for Eichel — and also establish who will be the No. 1 goalie. At this hour, the lead netminding job belongs to Robin Lehner, the 30-year-old veteran who has spoken openly, emotionally and often eloquently, about his mental health challenges. Lehner, not a franchise No. 1, is on the books for three more years at a $5 million cap hit and he will be out at least until November recovering from shoulder surgery. If McCrimmon can find a bona fide No. 1, it will mean adding significant dollars to a payroll already challenged to come in under next season’s cap of $82.5 million. Cassidy, though talented, would not be the first coach to struggle under the strain of average or less-than-mediocre goaltending. He had the distinct advantage during most of his Boston run to have Tuukka Rask in net, and the Jeremy Swayman-Linus Ullmark tandem of this past season proved promising. Finding the right fit and flow among the forward corps will be paramount, and perhaps a bigger ask, will be the goaltending. Overall, McCrimmon has some creative math ahead of him, be it via trades, buyouts, or demotions to have a cap-compliant payroll. DeBoer, Cassidy, and Barry Trotz (fired by the Islanders last month) have been the three biggest coaching names on the market this spring, with Cassidy, initially assured he would be returning to the Bruins this September, the last of three to be dismissed. Who will replace Bruce Cassidy? Here are nine candidates to become Bruins coach. All three were named last summer as assistant coaches on Team Canada’s Olympic squad, but the trio remained with their then respective teams when the NHL opted not to send participate in the 2022 Games in Beijing. Meanwhile, the Bruins have yet to name Cassidy’s successor. Jay Leach, the club’s ex-head coach at AHL Providence, is believed to be the early favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
From the cold shoulder in the Hub of the Universe to a chilled T-Mobile Arena alongside the sunny Strip in Las Vegas … just … like … that. © Jonathan WiggsBruce Cassidy was fired by the Bruins a few weeks after they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Eight days after Bruce Cassidy was abruptly sent packing from behind the Bruins bench, he was named Tuesday as the coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, the third bench boss in the team’s history. The Golden Knights confirmed the hire on their Twitter account at approximately 6 p.m., approximately two hours after rumors of the move broke on the social media platform. “I am excited to join an organization that shares my commitment to winning and can’t wait to get to work with the talent that has been assembled in Vegas,” Cassidy said in a statement released by the club. “It’s been impressive to watch the city embrace the Golden Knights from afar, and my family and I look forward to becoming a part of that.” A text sent to Cassidy’s mobile phone by the Globe, seeking comment, was not immediately returned. Cassidy, 57, takes over for Peter DeBoer, who was dismissed May 16 after Vegas went 43-31-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time since entering the league as its 31st member club for the start of the 2017-18 season. Cassidy, who delivered a dazzling .672 points percentage in his five-plus seasons in Boston, is an ideal fit in Las Vegas on a number of levels. Foremost, he is an experienced coach with an outstanding track record — the Bruins qualified for the postseason each of his six seasons behind the bench. He is also a huge fan and consummate salesman for the sport. Vegas has proven to be a fanatical, hockey-mad desert outpost, unlike the struggling Phoenix market, and now Vegas fans and local media no doubt will be further engaged in the product with Cassidy on the job. Patient, insightful, and often humorous with his day-to-day coaching commentary, he will help sell the sport in a non-traditional market where the only ice to be found in town must be manufactured. Cassidy is arriving in Vegas at a time when the luster of the franchise’s early days, which included a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season, is in need of some burnishing. General manager Kelly McCrimmon, brother of onetime Bruins defenseman Brad McCrimmon, made a bold trade this past season to acquire franchise center Jack Eichel from Buffalo. Eichel, recovering from unorthodox neck surgery, finally made it into the lineup late in the season, but he was not enough to prevent Vegas from avoiding the postseason DNQ. The Golden Knights finished two wins (4 points) shy of edging out Nashville for the final wild-card spot in the West. Upon Cassidy’s promotion to the top job here in February 2017 to replace Claude Julien, the Bruins were on the cusp of missing the postseason for a third consecutive year. He inherited a team barely over .500 that season (26-23-1) and drove it to a stellar 18-8-1 mark (.685) over the final 27 games, lifting the Bruins into a first-round playoff matchup against the Senators. The Knights, who entered the league with Gerard Gallant (now with the Rangers) as their coach, should benefit from Cassidy’s up-tempo approach, though the shift in pace should not be as acute or obvious from DeBoer to Cassidy as it was from Julien to Cassidy. The initial challenge for Cassidy will be to search for different chemistry among his forwards — Job No. 1 there to find the right wingers for Eichel — and also establish who will be the No. 1 goalie. At this hour, the lead netminding job belongs to Robin Lehner, the 30-year-old veteran who has spoken openly, emotionally and often eloquently, about his mental health challenges. Lehner, not a franchise No. 1, is on the books for three more years at a $5 million cap hit and he will be out at least until November recovering from shoulder surgery. If McCrimmon can find a bona fide No. 1, it will mean adding significant dollars to a payroll already challenged to come in under next season’s cap of $82.5 million. Cassidy, though talented, would not be the first coach to struggle under the strain of average or less-than-mediocre goaltending. He had the distinct advantage during most of his Boston run to have Tuukka Rask in net, and the Jeremy Swayman-Linus Ullmark tandem of this past season proved promising. Finding the right fit and flow among the forward corps will be paramount, and perhaps a bigger ask, will be the goaltending. Overall, McCrimmon has some creative math ahead of him, be it via trades, buyouts, or demotions to have a cap-compliant payroll. DeBoer, Cassidy, and Barry Trotz (fired by the Islanders last month) have been the three biggest coaching names on the market this spring, with Cassidy, initially assured he would be returning to the Bruins this September, the last of three to be dismissed. Who will replace Bruce Cassidy? Here are nine candidates to become Bruins coach. All three were named last summer as assistant coaches on Team Canada’s Olympic squad, but the trio remained with their then respective teams when the NHL opted not to send participate in the 2022 Games in Beijing. Meanwhile, the Bruins have yet to name Cassidy’s successor. Jay Leach, the club’s ex-head coach at AHL Providence, is believed to be the early favorite.
Buffalo Rick Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Well he was not out of work long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 17 minutes ago, Hockey Junkie said: Well he was not out of work long Good coaches often never are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Lando Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Maybe it is Vegas being around all that gambling and such, but it seems like they get something set in their head and they know what they want and then they lay all the cards on the table and don't waste a damn bit of time. There doesn't seem to be any bluffing going on with the negotiating they make. they just get down to business and make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 And now a new defenseman.... Guess we'll see what is going on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 15 hours ago, FireDillabaugh said: Nah. Weber's done. This trade wasn't to get Weber in their lineup. It was so they can free up Dadonov's 5 mil and will be able to put Weber on LTIR for cap relief. Yeah, this is a cap-ology move. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewin Flames Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Bruce Cassidy voices confidence in Stanley Cup expectations in introduction as Vegas Golden Knights coach 7:47 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS -- Bruce Cassidy is the third coach of the Vegas Golden Knights in the franchise's sixth year, and he said the decision was a "no-brainer" from a hockey perspective. After all, Vegas has been one of the NHL's most successful teams since entering the league in 2017, making the playoffs four times, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season. The bigger challenge for Cassidy was convincing his wife, Julie, and children Shannon and Cole, about the move to Las Vegas. "I'm from Canada, she's from New Jersey, how it would affect the kids?" Cassidy said Thursday during his introductory news conference. "I'm gonna have to convince Cole that he's gonna have to get on board with the Black and Silver (Raiders) and not the Pats. That'll be a challenge because, hey, he's a New England kid, right? I'll tell him he can have the Red Sox, but you gotta give up the Pats." Hockey-wise, though, they're officially Golden Knights. Cassidy, 57, coached the Boston Bruins to six straight playoff appearances after replacing Claude Julien in the final months of the 2016-17 campaign. He had a 245-108-46 record with Boston when he was fired on June 6, a month after the Bruins lost a seven-game first-round series to Carolina. Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Thursday that Cassidy embodies the traits the franchise has always expected in a coach. That includes a defensively structured team that can move the puck swiftly in the opposite direction, staying in attack mode while keeping opponents on their heels, high-end offensive defensemen who can push the pace, a goaltender-friendly system, and most importantly, successful special teams. Boston was a top-five defense in terms of goals allowed this past season. The Bruins boasted both the league's third-best power play (23.9%) and penalty kill (82.9%) under Cassidy's watch, since he took over in 2017. "I think in general I've done a good job with certain areas of the game that are important in the National Hockey League," Cassidy said. "That's the kind of style of play that I believe I can bring and I've tried to get our teams to play. It looks like this group of players will want to play that way and excel in that style." The Golden Knights' 18.4% power-play conversion rate this past season ranked 25th in the league. During former coach Pete DeBoer's 2 1/2-year tenure, Vegas ranked 21st with its power play (18.6%). "I know that it's been a challenge here at different times in the past," McCrimmon said. "Bruce has done it again and again and again. I guess that's what to me is impressive. There's different teams and different coaches that with the right personnel and the right year you have a really good power play or a real good penalty kill. Or, maybe one is better than the other significantly. "In Bruce's case, the penalty kill and the power play consistently have been very, very good for a long period of time." Cassidy said knowing the team has quickly gone through two coaches -- neither of whom lasted longer than 2 1/2 seasons -- was not an issue. Cassidy's first stint as a head coach was in Washington, where he led the Capitals to a playoff appearance in his first season after compiling a record of 39-29-8 during the 2002-03 regular season. He worked under Knights president of hockey operations George McPhee, who was the general manager at the time and fired Cassidy just 25 games into his second season as coach. "Winning in the postseason. I think when you come close to winning the Cup, it's always in the back of your mind and you want to finish the job and definitely have that mindset," he said. "I thought I did a good job in Boston -- and here I am. "I want my name on the Stanley Cup ... and I believe this team has the ability to do that." Vegas also announced that veteran defenseman Shea Weber was acquired in a trade with Montreal for forward Evgenii Dadonov. Weber, 36, did not appear in a game with the Canadiens last season due to multiple lower-body injuries and will remain on injured reserve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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