Former Washington Capitals Head Coach Bruce Cassidy has been named Assistant Coach of the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. Cassidy, 43, will be lending his extensive coaching expertise to former Capital Rob Murray, 41, who is embarking on his first professional head coaching venture.
Cassidy, a former AHL teammate of current Capitals Head Coach Bruce Boudreau with the Nova Scotia Oilers, was hired by the Capitals on June 25, 2002, replacing Ron Wilson after the Capitals failed to make the playoffs in the 2001-02 season.
After leading the Caps back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his first season behind the Washington bench, Cassidy was fired early in the 2003-04 season, after the talent-laden club sputtered out of the gate, going 8-18-1-1 over 28 games.
Cassidy was relieved of his head coaching duties on Dec. 10, 2003, replaced by his Assistant Coach Glen Hanlon. Hanlon, after taking over the reins, led his charges to a disappointing 15-28-9-2 finish over the final 54 games of the campaign, tying the Chicago Blackhawks for the lowest point total in the league (59).
The storm clouds created by Washington’s woeful 03-04 season parted in the summer of 2004, when the Caps broke the bank, winning the NHL lottery and selecting Alexander Ovechkin with the prized ticket.