Bruce Cassidy sounds off on facing his old team

The Boston Bruins made the somewhat puzzling decision this past summer to part ways with head coach Bruce Cassidy, a move that at the time wasn't exactly met with the greatest of fanfare. 

Cassidy departs Boston having served as head coach since February of 2017, and recorded a total record of 245-108 (.694 winning percentage). He also led the Bruins to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, which they dropped in a heartbreaking seven-game loss to the St. Louis Blues. He never missed the playoffs with Boston, and still had one year remaining on his contract with the team. 

However, things could not have worked out better for the Bruins thus far. They lead the NHL with a pristine 20-3-0 record with new bench boss Jim Montgomery running the show. Meanwhile, Cassidy has enjoyed success since taking over the head coaching job of the Vegas Golden Knights, leading them to the best record in the Western Conference. 

Tonight, he faces his old Bruins team for the first time since being let go this summer. How does he feel about it? In his words, the players are the ones more amped up for it. 

“I don’t play. I think players go through that a lot more," Cassidy explained. "I saw it with Jack (Eichel) in Buffalo. I see it with different players that go back home. I think with coaches, it’s a little different. You’re just trying to game plan and give them as much information as needed without overloading them. They don’t want to hear everything about Boston, we’re a pretty good team in our own right. They just want to hear the coach give them a plan on what’s the best way to beat them, and that’s what we’ll focus on.

"In terms of (extra) juice, we’re competitive coaches. We want to win every game, right? Most coaches when they go back want to put their best foot forward. That’s the way I look at it. I want to show, ‘Hey, we’re a pretty good team, too,’ and let the chips fall where they may."

Cassidy would also be remiss if he didn't acknowledge just how well the Bruins are doing.

“They have the best record in the NHL. Your record is what your team is, so we’re playing the best team right now that’s out there," Cassidy said.

"Once the game is over, we’ll see where we need to be better and see where we’re good. That’s the way I look at it with teams like Boston, New Jersey, we played Seattle, who’s playing well, go right down the list. It’s early in the year to say ‘measuring stick game’ so to speak, but I think it’s a fair statement to say that."