With Bruce Cassidy vaulting into the hole left by Claude Julien, the Boston Bruins returned to the playoffs in 2016-17. While they were bounced in the first round by the Ottawa Senators, fans got a glimpse into Cassidy’s style and preferences.
Rewarded with the permanent head coach tag, now it’s Cassidy’s time to leave his mark on the Bruins in 2017-18, all while taking general manager Don Sweeney’s youth movement into account. When those two factors are combined, odds are the Black and Gold are a ways off from contending for a Stanley Cup, though there’s still plenty of promise in store.
They spent this offseason shopping smart, not signing someone just for the sake of doing so. And that’s a luxury the B’s have as draft picks of yesteryear are on the verge of becoming bonafide prospects, and their cherished core remains.
