“Time and space, right? It just seems like it gets so limited. People are a little more conscious defensively, working above people more than they would in an average game in December,” Cassidy said. “That’s the biggest thing, but you hear it all the time, the ability to get inside and score goals. The rush game shuts down because most series get a little harder. You see a lot more goals going off bodies in front of the net. You see a lot more traffic and shots going to the net that create awkward goals.”
Prior to Cassidy’s time as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, he was the man in charge of leading the Boston Bruins. Cassidy was hired as a Bruins assistant coach prior to the 2016-17 season before being named interim head coach that same year. That same year was Carlo’s rookie season with the Bruins, and the two would go on to spend the next five seasons together in the Bruins organization.
Carlo was acquired prior to the 2024-25 NHL trade deadline in exchange for Fraser Minten, a top-five protected first-round draft pick, and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick. In hindsight, the trade hasn’t worked out, as the Maple Leafs fell short of their goal of a Stanley Cup last year, Carlo struggled throughout 55 games this year, and the Maple Leafs will be anxiously awaiting the lottery to see if they keep their pick. Minten, the Maple Leafs’ former second-round draft pick, also became an integral part of the Bruins’ lineup, recording 35 points across 82 games this year. Cassidy touched on the value Carlo brings when you get the best version of the 29-year-old defenceman.
“He’s a shutdown defenceman. When he’s at his best, he can play against anybody. He’s long, he’s got great lateral mobility and will eat pucks. He’s not an overly physical player, but he certainly will establish his body position to protect the front of the net,” Cassidy said. “Brandon has the ability to get up the ice, and he has a good shot. In Boston, we were trying to build up his confidence in that part of the game to get more offence out of him. He’s at his best when he has a partner that takes care of the offence, and he can just be a reliable guy back there. He was great on the penalty kill for us and really strong positionally with a great stick.
Cassidy’s firing on March 29 caught the hockey world by surprise as the Golden Knights replaced him with John Tortorella while they were within a playoff position. The veteran head coach with 470 career wins to his name is sure to receive looks this summer as someone who can jump in and bring success to an organization.
“There has to be an opportunity, right? Every team has a head coach right now, so that’s the first thing. Usually, after the first round, typically over the years, you start to see some chairs open up, so we’ll see what happens,” Cassidy said. “For me, the most important thing is an opportunity to win. I’m not getting any younger, so I’m going to win a Stanley Cup. It happened once, and I lost in a Game 7 once, so that’s what motivates me, and that would be the most important thing. I will say, every job I got hired to in the NHL, the team missed the playoffs the year before. So it’s not always automatic that the team is right there.”
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