Former Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy Makes his Pick for Next Captain of the Team

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TJ Tucker
August 2, 2023 (12:36)

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The Boston Bruins have huge shoes to fill when it comes to replacing Patrice Bergeron. The veteran leader has decided to retire, leaving a gaping hole in the team's leadership. Former Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, fired at the end of the 2021-22 season, has made his pick.

In a new interview, Cassidy, now a Stanley Cup winner with the Vegas Golden Knights, said the obvious pick is Brad Marchand, adding he believes Marchand can get the job done.

"I do. Not that many guys are the perfect kind of mix of everything, right? I think Bergeron was good at that. He led by example, and he's still the hardest worker in practice, and off-ice he made sure everyone felt welcome."

"Brad will be a great leader, leading by example, will to win, been there done it."

Cassidy did, however, point to one spot where Marchand could use some growth.

" He'll just have to learn to deal with the younger players that are coming into the league that still haven't found their traction. That will be the one challenge for Brad because he's got high expectations of everybody. That's just the way he is, and there's nothing wrong with that. But how he communicates with those guys, my guess, is that will probably be his biggest challenge."

Cassidy said the team will likely also consider David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy for the role as well, adding neither of these would be bad choices.