Boston Bruins’ Cassidy Named To Team Canada Olympic Staff

Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy made it abundantly clear earlier this season that he wanted to coach in the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. It was certainly the right time for the 56-year-old B’s bench boss entering his sixth season behind the Boston bench with five playoff berths, a Jack Adams Award and a President’s Trophy on his resume while guiding the Black and Gold.

Cassidy was so enthusiastic about being a part of this winter’s Olympic games, provided the NHL finds an agreement to participate and ends up going over to China, to the point that he was willing to utilize his dual citizenship to coach for either Team USA or Team Canada.

“I think it would be an honor to coach in the Olympics,” said Cassidy, who became a US citizen last October, earlier this season during a Zoom call with Bruins reporters. “For Canada, obviously. But if it meant being on the US side, I would certainly do it [too].

“Listen, I love the game, and I like being around the best players in the world. That’s my perspective on it. If I was able to pick and choose, I’d have a little more allegiance to Canada, because I spent the majority of my life as a Canadian.”

But at the end of the day, an assistant coach’s spot on head coach Jon Cooper’s staff was the most logical fit given that Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney is part of the management group, and that both Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron are expected to both be on the roster. Clearly, Team Canada will also utilize Cassidy’s innovative hockey mind, his ability to design a dangerous power play and his experience coaching in the pros over the last 20 plus years. Cassidy will be joined by Pete DeBoer and Barry Trotz on the Team Canada coaching staff headed over to China when the NHL regular season goes on hiatus during the month of February.

“My son said: “Dad you have an all-star team as a coaching staff.”

— Team Canada coach Cooper on assistants Trotz, Cassidy, DeBoer

— Mike Zeisberger (@Zeisberger) August 9, 2021

“We are very excited to introduce the members of Canada’s coaching staff for the 2022 Winter Olympics, as each individual brings a tremendous amount of experience that will benefit our team if NHL players are able to participate in Beijing,” said CEO of Hockey Canada Tom Renney. “Under the leadership of Stanley Cup champion Jon Cooper, and with the contributions of this very skilled coaching staff, we are thrilled to have them lead us at the Olympics and represent our country with pride as they build a team that will compete for a gold medal.”

Cassidy’s resume speaks for itself as he’s led the Black and Gold to the playoffs in each of his five seasons as the B’s bench boss and has won the Jack Adams while posting a 194-82-41 regular season record (.677 points percentage) during his time in Boston.