Fansided

Bruins name Bruce Cassidy full-time head coach

By Dave Stevenson

Feb 9, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins interim head coach Bruce Cassidy looks on from the bench during the first period against the San Jose Sharks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins interim head coach Bruce Cassidy looks on from the bench during the first period against the San Jose Sharks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Bruins wasted no time in removing Bruce Cassidy’s interim tag and naming him full-time head coach.

On Feb. 9, the Boston Bruins were lost. They weren’t going anywhere with head coach Claude Julien. Whether it was bad luck or there was more to it, the Bruins decided to fire him. They immediately replaced him with Bruce Cassidy, who was named interim head coach. Since then, Boston made the postseason and gave the Ottawa Senators a good challenge despite a depleted blue line. The Bruins have taken off the interim label and given Cassidy the head coaching job full-time.

"Since Cassidy assumed head coaching responsibilities on February 9, the Bruins ranked first in the NHL in goals per game (3.37), first in the NHL in fewest shots allowed (741), tied for second in the NHL in wins (18), tied for second in the NHL in power play percentage (27.8%), tied for third in the NHL in goals allowed per game (2.30), tied for fifth in the NHL in faceoff percentage (53.6%) and tied for sixth in the NHL in takeaways (229)."

Boston is wise to lock him up quickly. Any more time without a permanent job and Cassidy might have gone elsewhere. The Bruins have a somewhat promising future with him at the helm. Their injuries to their blue line this postseason might wind up being a good thing. Without the injuries, they never would have realized how NHL ready Charlie McAvoy is.

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With their 2016 first round pick ready for a permanent promotion to the big leagues and Brandon Carlo, the Bruins blue line is steadily getting younger. 2015 first round pick Jakub Zboril could be ready to contribute shortly as well. General Manager Don Sweeney needed to nail his post-Julien hire and with Cassidy, he did. That should buy him and team president Cam Neely some time in the front office.

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