NHL announced on Wednesday that Boston Bruins’ head coach Bruce Cassidy is the recipient of the Jack Adams Award for the 2019/20 season. The award has been given annually since 1974 to a coach who is considered to have “contributed the most to his team’s success”.
Cassidy received the NHL coach of the year award after leading the Bruins to the best record in the regular season (44-14-12). Boston also had the best defense in 2019/20 under Cassidy, allowing just 2.39 goals per game.
Unfortunately for Cassidy, the Bruins didn’t manage to translate their regular-season success to playoffs. After easily dismantling Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in the first round, Boston stumbled in the second and were on the receiving end of a gentleman’s sweep by Tampa Bay Lightning.
The elimination still hurts Cassidy, which is why he couldn’t fully enjoy his Jack Adams Award.
“You still want to be playing first and foremost, that’s the first thing that crossed your mind,” said Cassidy after receiving the honors. “But unfortunately we’re not in. Tampa deserved to win, and they get to move on. When it comes to personal stuff I look inward to my family first. It’s been a long ride, some ups and downs and obviously starting basically at the bottom back in Providence and working your way up so I’m thankful and grateful to them.”
Bruce Cassidy joined the Bruins organization in 2008 and spent eight years on different positions, including coaching Providence Bruins and being an assistant under Claude Julien. After Julien got fired midway through the 2016/17 season, Cassidy was named interim head coach before taking over permanently after the team’s impressive performances.
Cassidy made the playoffs in each of the previous seasons and even made it to Stanley Cup Finals in 2018/19, where the Bruins lost to St. Louis Blues. His head coaching record in Boston is 161–66-34 in the regular season and 27-18 in playoffs.
