WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals, looking for a young and aggressive coach, hired Bruce Cassidy, who has never spent a day behind the bench in the NHL.
Cassidy, 37, does not believe his inexperience will hurt him and is determined to show General Manager George McPhee he made the "right choice."
"I don't think that is going to stop what I'm going to try to do which is to win and make our players better players and better people," Cassidy said yesterday.
When the process started eight weeks ago, McPhee said he had someone in mind but wanted to take a look at a few individuals before making a final decision.
McPhee said the ownership was impressed with Cassidy's poise, his relationship with his players and how he crafted a system that worked.
"We asked our pro scouts to submit a short list of people, and Bruce was on the list," McPhee said. "They said his teams were always well-coached."
Cassidy spent the last two seasons with Grand Rapids in the AHL. He led the Griffins to a division championship and a 42-27-11-0 record in his first year.
He also had coaching stints in the old International Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League.
Before coaching, Cassidy played 13 years as a defenseman. He was the Chicago Blackhawks' first pick in the 1983 NHL draft. He also played in the AHL, IHL and Europe.
Cassidy replaces Ron Wilson, fired May 10 after the Capitals failed to make the playoffs. Wilson had a five-year run in Washington, including a Stanley Cup final appearance in 1998.
Capitals choose Cassidy; Wilson's replacement lacks NHL experience 
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