Here was Cassidy’s initial reaction to being fired as Bruins coach

Bruins

Here was Cassidy’s initial reaction to being fired as Bruins coach

The Boston Bruins’ decision to fire Bruce Cassidy came as a surprise to many — including Bruce Cassidy, it appears.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney announced Monday night they have relieved Cassidy of his duties, ending his five-plus-season tenure as head coach. Cassidy had guided the Bruins to the playoffs in each those seasons and brought the team within one win of a Stanley Cup in 2019, so the move wasn’t without controversy.

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Cassidy apparently is still processing the news as well; when asked for comment Monday night, the recently-fired coach told The Boston Globe’s Matt Porter, “It’s still very raw.”

In a press conference Tuesday morning, Sweeney admitted Cassidy didn’t take the news of his firing well when the two met in person Monday afternoon.

It’s understandable for Cassidy to be upset: He leaves the Bruins ranked fourth in franchise history in win percentage (67.2 percent) and third in wins (245) after less than six full seasons at the helm. You could make the case that Cassidy overachieved with the group Sweeney gave him as GM, guiding the Bruins to the playoffs this season despite very little depth outside Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.

Cassidy should get another head coach opportunity very soon, while Sweeney and the Bruins face a tall task in finding a serviceable replacement.