Blackhawks Press Release

CHICAGO - Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the team has decided not to renew the contract of Assistant Coach Bruce Cassidy.

Bruce has been a head coach in the East Coast League, the International Hockey League, the American Hockey League, and the NHL, said Tallon. We feel he is better suited to being a head coach rather than an assistant. We thank Bruce for all he has done for the Blackhawks and wish him the best of luck for the future.

Cassidy joined the Blackhawks as a pro scout on January 20, 2004 after having been the head coach of the Washington Capitals for one and a half seasons. He joined the Blackhawks coaching staff as an assistant on May 19, 2004. Cassidy had gone down to Norfolk during the 2004-05 season where he was an assistant to Trent Yawney who was then the head coach of the Norfolk Admirals.

Cassidy was originally the Blackhawks first round draft choice (18th overall) in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. After a severe knee injury ended his playing career, Cassidy became the head coach of Jacksonville in the East Coast Hockey League for two seasons before moving on to coach the Indianapolis Ice of the International Hockey League in 1998-99. After coaching one season in Trenton and two more seasons in Grand Rapids, Cassidy was named the head coach of the Washington Capitals in the 2002-03 season.