Bruins Bruce Cassidy Named NHL All-Star Head Coach
BOSTON (CBS) -- Bruce Cassidy will not get any time off during the NHL's All-Star break. The Bruins head coach has been named the head coach for the Atlantic Division team, the NHL announced on Friday.
It will be Cassidy's first time on an All-Star bench.
"It's an honor," the B's head coach said Friday. "Obviously a reflection of the players and what they've been able to do on the ice, and I get the benefit from it. I thank the staff as well, we all work hard to do our part every day. But the players perform on the ice so they should be the ones thanked first."
Cassidy has led the Bruins to a 24-7-11 record through 42 games this season, with Boston tied for the most points in the NHL with 59. The Bruins lead the league in goals against per game (2.40), are ranked second in penalty kill percentage (85.4), third in power play percentage (27.2), eighth in faceoff win percentage (50.7) and 10th in goals per game (3.31).
Both of Boston's netminders currently rank in the NHL's Top 10 in both goals against average and save percentage, with Jaroslav Halak sitting fourth with a 2.20 GAA and third with a .930 Save Percentage in his 17 games between the pipes, and Tuukka Rask sitting seventh with a 2.30 GAA and eighth with a .923 Save Percentage. Offensively, Boston employs the league's leading goal scorer in David Pastrnak (leading the way with 30 goals in 42 games), as well as Brad Marchand, who ranks fifth in the NHL in points (59) and third in the NHL in assists (39). Somehow, Marchand was not selected as an All-Star this season.
But Pastrnak and Rask will both join Cassidy in representing the Bruins in St. Louis on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Washington Capitals head coach Todd Reirden will lead the Metropolitan Division, St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube will coach the Central Division and Las Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant will man the Pacific Division team.