Bruce Cassidy and Jerry York go way back.
The Boston Bruins head coach revealed a story from his teenage years recalling how York, who announced his retirement Wednesday after coaching men’s hockey at Boston College for 28 years, tried to recruit a 16-year-old Cassidy to Bowling Green in 1982.
Cassidy was asked about York after Thursday’s Bruins practice at Warrior Ice Arena and recounted when he ran into York after Cassidy became the coach of the B’s in 2017. He brought up the story to York about Cassidy denying the recruitment, not thinking York would remember.
But he did.
“Jerry recruited me when I was a 16-year-old, at Bowling Green. He called me. He couldn’t take me the next year because he was taking Dave Ellett and Garry Galley, but he offered me a scholarship for the next year if I was willing to wait,” Cassidy told reporters, per team-provided audio. “I ended up getting drafted in junior by the (Ottawa) 67’s, so I went that route. But I crossed paths with Jerry a long time ago. It was good to catch up with him here in the hallways when I first got hired and kind of reminisce about those things. I didn’t even think he’d remember, to be honest with you. I did, and he certainly did.”
Cassidy and York golf together twice a year, but the B’s coach now knows he’s going to have to step up his game now that York will have some free time on his hands to perfect his swing.
“I love Jerry,” Cassidy said. “He’s a twice-a-year golf partner. I have to give him strokes. That’s going to change now that he’s going to have some free time. He’s always got a few good stories. He always sends me a video of a golf clip. He loves the game. I think hockey coaches in general need something to sort of get away from the rink. It’s either probably fishing or golfing. Obviously a very, very excellent career.”
Cassidy hopes he won’t be able to join York on the golf course for a few more months as the Bruins prepare to make a deep Stanley Cup Playoffs run.
