The Bruce Cassidy Era

Tonight (weather permitting, it would be wise to stay tuned) is the debut of the New Look Bruins, as they host the Sharks at 7:00PM on NESN.

• Claude Julien bade the Bruins and Boston a gracious goodbye. Boston Globe
• Bruce Cassidy has moved beyond his inauspicious NHL coaching stint in Washington to be a coach who is reputed to put his players in positions to succeed.
• Cassidy is encouraging Brandon Carlo to adopt a more offensive mindset. Zdeno Chara is under the weather. Boston Globe
• One immediate benificiary of Cassidy’s promotion? Ryan Spooner, a centerman who never hit stride as a wing. Patriot Ledger
• The new offensive plan is to focus play down near the opponent’s net, rather than dishing back to the defensmen to regroup and attack anew. Peter Cehlarik is likely to make his NHL debut. Boston Globe
• What an embarassing way to fire Julien- and the manner in which it was done speaks volumes about the Bruins brass. And it isn’t the first time they’ve pulled this move. Fox Sports
• The move was pathetic, counterproductive, and had one interested party’s fingerprints all over it. Metro Boston
• Mad, Brad, and dangerous to know- read about the evolution of Brad Marchand, from pest to best. Even grumpy Chris Kelly, who was a groomsman at Brad’s wedding, weighs in! Sportsnet
• Delaware North is looking elsewhere for profits, including a new investment foray into an eSport team. USAToday

Elsewhere around the rink:

• Thirty Thoughts this week includes a story that Claude Julien once received a telling email by accident. Sportsnet
• If you like stories of hockey mayhem, ownership and management malfeasance, and a beleaguered coach/player, then this documentary about the movie “Slap Shot” is for you. (With video) NHL
• Despite the NFL’s public position to the contrary, the NHL is employing a different legal tactic- denial of any proven link between brain injury and CTE. It is merely pushing scientists to work harder. New York Times