By: Joe Travia | Follow me on Twitter @NHLJoeTravia
One of the biggest questions going into the Bruins’ off-season was the contract status of General Manager Don Sweeney. With his contract expiring and the team seemingly stuck in neutral coming off a first-round playoff loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, many wondered if Sweeney would not have his contract renewed. During his end of the season press conference on Thursday, team president Cam Neely seemingly put that question to rest:
While Sweeney now looks safe, it appears Head Coach Bruce Cassidy’s seat is now scorching hot. In a bit of a perplexing move, Neely went out of his way to publicly place some blame on Cassidy for the team’s shortcomings. Though it is crucial to note Cassidy himself echoed the need to make stylistic changes in terms of coaching philosophy, this was far from a public show of confidence from Neely:
Getting rid of Cassidy, who won the Jack Adams Trophy as the league’s top coach in 2019-2020, would not be a move that sits well with most Bruins fans. The team has been very successful with Cassidy at the helm, and his blunt, straightforward style when publicly speaking about the group has endeared him to the team’s fans. These comments are a story that needs to be watched closely in the coming days and weeks.
I feel Neely is also part of the problem.