Caps call on Cassidy
June 25, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
(June 25, 2002) -- Bruce Cassidy, the Louis A.R. Pieri Award winner as the AHL's outstanding coach in 2001-02, has been named head coach of the Washington Capitals.
Cassidy, 37, guided the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 42-27-11-0 record and the West Division championship during the team's inaugural AHL campaign in 2001-02. He also served as head coach of the PlanetUSA team at the 2002 AHL All-Star Classic in St. John's, Nfld.
Cassidy becomes the sixth former AHL coach of the year currently in the NHL ranks, joining Peter Laviolette (1999), Greg Gilbert (1997), Robbie Ftorek (1995-96), Barry Trotz (1994) and Marc Crawford (1993). A native of Ottawa, Cassidy played parts of six NHL seasons with Chicago after he was the Blackhawks' first selection in the 1983 Entry Draft.
Cassidy's hiring leaves a vacancy in Grand Rapids, where the Griffins are set to begin their new affiliation with the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.
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