Boston Bruins: Takeaways from Bruce Cassidy's Interview with ESPN

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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 13: Head coach Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins watches the third period against the New Jersey Devils at the TD Garden on October 13, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy tends to be one of the most open figures on the team. In fact, he might be one of the most open in the league!

So, it’s no surprise that Cassidy revealed some good information in an interview with ESPN’s One Ice podcast.

Cassidy won’t drop Pastrnak from the top line…yet

As you can imagine, the first topic Cassidy discussed was the presence of David Pastrnak on his top line.

Pastrnak is definitely the team’s MVP so far this year with 10 goals. He leads the league in that category, and he emerged as one of the top players in the Atlantic Division.

Cassidy appeared to be a bit uneasy about moving Pastrnak off the top line. There’s no guarantee that line would put up similar production without Pastrnak on the right.

Typically I’m not gonna break it up until I’m comfortable with the line that Pasta’s going to go to. Right now David Krejci’s out with an injury. Pasta has good chemistry with him. I’m not gonna drop him now, simply because I don’t think it makes us better.

Cassidy didn’t, however, totally rule out putting Pastrnak with David Krejci one he’s back from an injury. But, for now, Pastrnak will remain on the first line.

BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 14: Boston Bruins goaltender Jaroslav Halak (41) and Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (40) talk during warmups prior to the Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins NHL game on October 14, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Rask and Halak will continue to split duties

Here’s an obvious one: Cassidy said that Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak will continue to split duties in net for Boston.

If your team doesn’t have confidence in the guy going in 35 times a year, then that’s a problem. So we’re lucky that way. That’s how we go about it, and we’re not going to change.

Cassidy cited last year as the perfect example of the goaltending plan in action. Halak’s play meant that the Bruins could manage Rask’s minutes all season. Rask only appeared in 46 games last year. Here are his previous games played: 54, 65, 64, 70.

Because of the reduced workload, Rask was fresh for long playoff run. He was Boston’s best and most consistent player throughout the playoffs.

Cassidy hopes history repeats itself this year with Rask and Halak. This has certainly been the case so far.

Rask started the season in great form with four wins in his first five starts. Halak, too, played well in net for Boston.

With Rask and Halak splitting duties, the Bruins look poised for another run.

BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 22: After his 500th NHL game Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins poses with teammates Patrice Bergeron #37 and Zdeno Chara #33 after the win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the TD Garden on October 22, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Defensive system focuses on layers

The Bruins certainly have been one of the strongest teams defensively over the past few years. They consistently finish near the top of the league for fewest goals allowed.

Cassidy attributed this success to the team’s defensive philosophy that Claude Julien instituted.

Boston doesn’t play a man to man system. Rather, the team utilizes layers to defend the opposition.

We opened up things a bit more in the last few years offensively, but we tried not to lose our identity on the defensive side. For us, it’s all about layers.

What this means is that the forwards and defensemen don’t shadow individual opponents. Instead, they occupy their own areas in the defensive zone.

Ultimately, if opposing forwards break down Boston’s defense, they need to go through differ layers. They don’t simply have to beat their man.

The Bruins defense obviously benefits from the presence of Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Cassidy made that very clear. That said, the system more than anything else sets Boston apart from other teams.

BOSTON, MA – JUNE 12: St. Louis Blues center Ivan Barbashev (49) truest get position on Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) in front of the net. During Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals featuring the St. Louis Blues against the Boston Bruins on June 12, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Cassidy learned the ups and downs of a long season

Last season ended in brutal fashion. There’s no other way around it. The brutality won’t go away; in fact, it will come back up on Saturday when the Bruins take on the Blues.

Nonetheless, the Bruins have to move on and learn from last season. Cassidy sure looks like he took a lot away from the run.

He said that he now understands how the playoffs can be up and down. Teams can’t dwell on losses; they must move on and focus on winning the next game.

Typically during the year when you lose a game, there’s a learning curve to it. You try to get better from it. I think in the playoffs, you almost have to shut the door and move on quicker…Put the previous game behind you, get ready for the next one and put the players back in a good place.

Based on his words, it definitely seems like last season’s playoff run, even though it ended with a Cup Final lost made him a better coach. He now better understands how to stay balanced and even-keeled during a long season and the playoffs.

dark. Next. Bruins-Blues will be painful

So, not everything about last year’s loss to the Blues is bad. The Bruins faced and still face a tough result, but it might put them in a better position to succeed this year.

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