985, the sports suburb, toucher and rich were in the town fair Tahr Studios,

simulcast on CSN television.

Was Burt in there?

So I announced Bruce Cassidy is calling at 9 o'clock.

The hotline rings, and I just stare at it ringing.

Is there an excuse for that?

I wouldn't call it an excuse.

He said he was answering the regular line.

Oh, Jesus. My line. Oh, Jesus.

My Lord.

There's the regular line.

There's the VIP line.

Oh, my God.

Well, we almost didn't get you, Bruce Cassidy, but thank you so much.

Thank you for joining us.

Yeah, I thought you ditched me there, fellas. Yeah, I know. You called in and then no one answered. Well, congratulations, sir. Well, thank you. Looking forward to it. Well, look at you. You're a big coach in the NHL now. You've got the interim tag off. When did you find out you're going to be the head coach of the Bruins? We talked on Monday. You know, Sunday was a tough day for us, you know. Talk to Donnie Monday. And that was that. We started talking about next year right away. I've got all the young guys here that are kind of trying to push their way through the door. So that's been the focus for us and try to get them up to speed, and away we go.

Was there a point during the season when you were still the interim coach that you were given a vote of confidence? Are you kind of, from what maybe either Don Sweeney or someone else in the organization said to you that led you to believe that you were more than likely going to be the head coach? Well, I mean, we, I've known Donnie a long time, worked together in Providence for, geez, I think seven, eight years. But I'll tell you, it played out. He took me aside him in Canada and said, listen, the team's yours and run it like you're the head coach, and we'll make our decision at the end of the year. There is no, you have to make the playoffs or you have to do this or that.

And that's the way they put it to me and they were very upfront about it. And they did tell me when the year was all over, they'd be looking at candidates and they'd make a decision at the end. And that's the way it played out. Obviously, we had conversations along the way. but no there's no pressure no timeline no that you got to do this or that so then i was appreciative of that

they were true to their word. All right, Bruce, when they made you an assistant coach this season, they promoted you from Providence, you pretty much were assured that when Julian's run was over, you were going to be coached. That's had to be how you felt, correct?

No, I don't think there's any assurances in this business.

You hope that's the case.

I mean, I'd put my time in down there.

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