Bill Belichick reacts to Bruins firing Bruce Cassidy: ‘I’ll miss him’

On Monday, the Boston Bruins announced that they had parted ways with their head coach of the past six seasons. Bruce Cassidy, who led the team to one Stanley Cup appearance and six straight playoff births, was let go after a 51-26 regular season performance in 2022 that was followed by a first-round playoff loss.

On Tuesday, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reacted to the news.

“Sorry to see what happened with Bruce yesterday,” Belichick told reporters during a press conference ahead of his team’s mandatory minicamp practice.

“Really enjoyed my relationship with him and I’ll always support the Bruins but, he was a good friend, and somebody I had a really good relationship with. Took the team to the playoffs and got pretty close to the finals and all that. I understand what the business is, but I’ll miss him.”

Earlier this offseason, Belichick spoke about the relationships he has built with other coaches in the Boston area. Stating that “they extend past the initial introduction,” he mentioned the value of staying in touch with people coaching different sports.