Analyst rips into Boston Bruins over Bruce Cassidy's Playoff Success
Despite a record-setting regular season, the Boston Bruins fizzled in the post season, failing to make it out of the first round. It came as a shock to many, as the team look poised to go deep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
On the flip side, the Vegas Golden Knights had some issues during the regular season, but have looked great in the playoffs, already punching their card to the third round. All this while being coached by the bench boss the Bruins fired last year, Bruce Cassidy. Mike Felger, co-host with NBC Sports Boston and 98.5 The Sports Hub, says Boston's players should be "embarrassed" for getting Cassidy canned.
"Bruce Cassidy and the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals! So the group of Boston athletes who should be absolutely embarrassed are the Boston Bruins players, followed closely by the management that just kowtows to them at every turn. But it's the players. That's a joke. It's a good coach. He was just fine. But he was too mean? You don't like him, so you run him out of town? Only to fall flat on your face in the first round. And he keeps going. That's embarrassing."
Both Felger and co-host Jim Murray pointed the finger at Bruins' captain Patrice Bergeron for Cassidy's undoing.
Murray: "You're right to bring up Bergeron because I remember it like it felt like that was the send off, Bergeron was done at the end of last season. Not this last one that they blew it, the prior one felt like a send off in Carolina. That was it. And then, 'Oh, you mean Bruce is going to be gone? Oh I'll come back!' Like he definitely had a major hand in that.
Felger: "I mean, I don't think Cassidy was mean to Bergeron, I just think Bergeron saw how he treated the young guys."
Murray: "Yeah, he had the backs of the young guys."
Felger: "I mean, I don't think Cassidy was mean to Bergeron, I just think Bergeron saw how he treated the young guys."
Murray: "Yeah, he had the backs of the young guys."
The New Guy
After firing Cassidy, it took eight days for him to find a job with the Golden Knights. Meanwhile, the Bruins hired Jim Montgomery. The move worked very well in the regular season, but the results in the playoffs were underwhelming, to say the least. Would it have been better with Cassidy? These guys seem to think so.
Source: 98.5 The Sports Hub
| POLL | ||
Would the Bruins have made it further in the playoffs with Cassidy? | ||
| Yes, Absolutely | 97 | 39.8 % |
| No, I don't think so | 60 | 24.6 % |
| Impossible to say | 87 | 35.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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