Calling out players publicly can be a fine line for coaches to walk.
While those of us in the media certainly appreciate a good quote and fans often appreciate the honesty, the coach has to be cognizant of how both the individual player and the team as a whole will respond to such a move.
Bruce Cassidy is no stranger to walking that line. Throughout his four years as Bruins coach, he hasn’t been afraid to name names when players aren’t giving enough effort or playing well enough.
Just this season, he has made headlines at one point or another for calling out, among others, Jake DeBrusk, Sean Kuraly, Chris Wagner, Anders Bjork, John Moore and his top line.
Most recently, on Tuesday night, Cassidy called out a number of depth players -- namely Zach Senyshyn, Trent Frederic, Anton Blidh, Karson Kuhlman, Jeremy Lauzon, Connor Clifton and Jakub Zboril -- for not providing enough energy and physicality in a game where the Bruins needed it, forcing Brad Marchand to take it upon himself to do that dirty work.
On Thursday, Cassidy explained what goes into these public call-outs, saying that he tries to make sure he never says anything to the media that he hasn’t already said to the player or players directly.
“I don’t think any player, or any person in general, wants to get called out through the media. I understand that,” Cassidy said. “I’ve used it the way I feel it will best get across. I think I’ve been quite open with this -- my challenging of players always kind of goes to the player first. It’s not like I’m a silent guy on the bench or between periods and now all of a sudden you ask me a question postgame and I’m all over a guy.
“Everything you’ve heard, I’d say 95 percent of the time has already gone through players’ ears. It’s been addressed why, and what the expectation is. And then sometimes I’m asked a question and I’ll get specific with players, right or wrong. Just like for example the other night -- the bottom of the lineup guys were all brought in, shown video of when they affected the play with their forecheck, their turnovers, their driving, getting pucks to the net. By that I mean the Frederics, the Senyshyns, the Kuhlys, the Blidhs -- the young guys that we ask to be a little more assertive to impact the game.
Now they’ve seen it, they’ve heard it, both good and bad.
“I think they responded well in the third period the other night, and I hope they respond well tonight and bring more of that same energy. That’s the ask. That’s kind of the job description. So that’s how I’ve used it as a coach, for good or bad. You try not to get specific with… if I had been asked, ‘Did that goal cost you the game?’ No, you win and lose as a team, so I try to stay away from one specific play costing the team. But I will definitely point out players at times that are not sort of meeting our standard. I’ve always thought that one play doesn’t usually impact the whole outcome of a game. There’s a string of plays and there’s opportunity to sort of make up for things that happen, and again, we win as Bruins and lose as Bruins, and we move on.”
All those depth guys will get a chance to show they can bring that energy Thursday night against the Penguins, as Cassidy said he isn’t making any lineup changes.
Kuhlman, one of those depth guys, said the public criticism does light a fire, and that he and linemates Frederic and Blidh know what is expected of them.
“I think us as competitors, it lights a fire under us for sure. I mean, we all know what we’re here for,” Kuhlman said. “We want to help this team win. I think all three of us on our line know what we have to do to help the team night in, night out. So now it’s just a matter of executing that.”