Bruce Cassidy Reacts To Getting ‘Choked Up’ During Tribute From Bruins

BOSTON — Bruce Cassidy had a brief emotional moment while facing his former Bruins team Monday night.

Cassidy was honored with a video tribute that was shown on the TD Garden jumbotron in the first period of Boston’s eventual 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The video featured highlights of Cassidy’s time with the Bruins followed by a thunderous ovation from the sold-out crowd.

After the video concluded, the jumbotron then showed a very emotional Cassidy who was fighting back tears on the Vegas bench before waving to the fans.

“That’s something I’ll get choked up about, probably in about three seconds,” Cassidy told reporters after the game. “I appreciate it. It’s that simple. I appreciate it. I did what I could here to help the team win. Now it’s on to Vegas and do what I can there.”

Cassidy was relieved of his head coaching duties with the Bruins in June. He took over at the helm in Feb. 2017 for Claude Julien and he helped lead Boston to the playoffs in every season he was here. Cassidy even took the Bruins to Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.

A change of scenery has done nothing but good for both Cassidy and the Bruins. Boston is atop the Eastern Conference standings while the Golden Knights are the Western Conference’s best team.

It’s still early, but what a Stanley Cup Final Bruins-Golden Knights would be.