The Boston Bruins fired head coach Bruce Cassidy on Monday evening. Reactions poured in from all over the sports world, including from several notable Boston sports figures.
In seven seasons with the Bruins, Cassidy compiled a 245-108 record. He took over for Claude Julien in the middle of the 2016-17 season and lead the Bruins to the playoffs that year.
He had several notable accomplishments during his time as bench boss for the Bruins. He led the team to the Stanley Cup final after leading them to a 50-20-12 regular season record in 2018-19. He was given the Jack Adams award in 2019-20, given to the NHL’s best coach.
Belichick offered his thoughts on the move at Tuesday’s media availability.
"Really enjoyed my relationship with him. [I] always support the Bruins, but he was a good friend."
Bill Belichick shares his thoughts on the Bruins' decision to fire Bruce Cassidy. pic.twitter.com/zbfbruSrn4
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) June 7, 2022
“Sorry to see what happened with Bruce yesterday,” Belichick said. “Really enjoyed my relationship with him and will always support the Bruins, but he was a good friend and somebody I had a really good relationship with.
“Took the team to the playoffs and got pretty close the finals and all that. Understand what the business is, but just miss him.”
Now, the Bruins may undergo a rebuilding phase, similar to what the Patriots have been doing following the departure of Tom Brady. Both organizations are undergoing change, with an eye toward the future.
