When Bruce Cassidy steps onto the ice at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, he’ll be returning to a country where his playing career took an unexpected detour—one that involved a police officer as a defense partner and 45-minute shifts.
The Vegas Golden Knights head coach spent three seasons in the 1990s playing for Alleghe HC in Italy’s Serie A, a far cry from the NHL’s best-on-best competition he’ll experience this week as an assistant coach for Team Canada.
A different era
Cassidy’s NHL career was cut short by a torn ACL suffered in a ball hockey game a month after the Chicago Blackhawks selected him 18th overall in the 1983 draft. After 36 NHL games and a Turner Cup with the Indianapolis Ice in 1990, he sought a new challenge—and a bigger paycheck.
“Back then, they didn’t pay the guys very well in the minors,” Cassidy said. “So, I had a chance to, looking back on it, double your salary. That was the impetus behind it. Maybe a little frustrated I wasn’t advancing (in the NHL). So something different.”
Alleghe, a mountainous village in northeastern Italy known for skiing, became his home. The talent level was mixed: former NHLers like Reed Larson played alongside part-timers. Cassidy’s defense partner was a police officer; Larson’s was a plumber.
“It was that type of thing,” Cassidy said.
Learning Italian on the fly
Cassidy, who attended French school until age 11, quickly picked up Italian—out of necessity. His defense partner spoke only Italian, making communication a trial by fire.
“By the time I was in there, I could do interviews in Italian. Not great, but good enough to answer questions,” he said, adding with a laugh, “I’m still working on the English part.”
Off the ice, he explored Rome, Florence, and even France. But the hockey itself was “very average,” he admitted. Games often ended 10-6, and Alleghe carried only four defensemen, meaning Cassidy played roughly 45 minutes per night.
“You probably played 45 minutes a night easily,” he said. “A lot of offense. It was fun.”
In 1991, he scored 23 goals and 75 points—his best professional season. He followed with 43 points in 1992 and 42 in 1993 before moving to Germany and eventually retiring in 1996.
Full-circle moment
Cassidy’s Olympic debut comes after serving as an assistant for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025, where Canada beat the U.S. 3-2 in overtime. The NHL returns to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
“It’s twofold, right?” Cassidy said. “You’re representing your country, and coming out of the 4 Nations, I thought we generated a lot of good energy for the Olympics, kind of create a budding rivalry with Team USA. It’s an honor to represent your country.”
Though Cortina is about an hour from Alleghe, Cassidy doubts he’ll have time to revisit his old haunts. But he’s hoping to leave Italy with a golden memory.
“To go back after all these years, I’m excited,” he said.
