Bruce Cassidy at Surmesur

The Canadian coach has seen the game evolve, along with the habits and traditions surrounding it. But if there’s one thing Cassidy continues to value, it’s tradition. With his appreciation for classic style, he still sees the suit as an integral part of hockey culture. During a visit to the Surmesur booth at the NHLCA Global Coaches’ Clinic, he sat down with Mike Rainone, a stylist at our Montreal showroom, to talk about style, tradition and, of course, suits.

Classic Style, With a Touch of Gold

Cassidy likes to keep things simple when it comes to his style.

“I’m a pretty straightforward guy. I like classic stuff.”

His two most recent NHL teams, Boston and Vegas, share one thing that allowed him to add a personal touch to his outfits: gold.

“Boston and Vegas, those are my last two teams, both have gold in them. So, if I felt it was an important divisional rival, I’d wear the black suit with the gold.”

A subtle way to nod to his team’s colors while also saving certain looks for the games that matter most.

The Suit as Workwear in Hockey

NHL player dress codes have become more relaxed over the years. For a traditionalist like Cassidy, however, the suit still holds a particular significance. For him, putting on a suit before a game isn’t simply about style. It also signals the transition into work mode and the preparation that comes with a night of hockey.

Cassidy does recognize some advantages to changing habits, particularly when it comes to morning skates on the road. Allowing players to wear a tracksuit rather than a suit makes perfect sense to him when they have to return to the rink just a few hours later. On game night, however, his preference remains clear: the suit.

The Legacy of Toe Blake and the Fedora

Cassidy’s attachment to tradition goes beyond his own habits. He describes himself as old-school and appreciates the history and culture of hockey. When looking back at a style that inspires him, he goes back several generations.

“I’m a bit of an old-school guy. I appreciate history and the culture of the game. I mean, I remember watching Toe Blake with the fedora on way back when. I think that’s kind of a cool look, so that’s why I like it. It’s tradition.”

The former Montreal Canadiens coach is closely associated with an era when a jacket, tie and hat were practically part of the uniform behind the bench. Cassidy admits he has even considered bringing the fedora back himself.

“I’ve been dying to do that. I just don’t have the gumption to do it.”

Maybe it will take a Winter Classic game for him to finally give it a try.

Style Also Has to Adapt to the Bench

Tradition doesn’t mean ignoring practicality. Spending close to three hours behind the bench also means dealing with very different environments from one arena to another.

“You got to dress for an environment. You’re out there on the bench for three hours. Some rinks are freezing cold.”

A vest, a sweater under the jacket or other layers can become necessary in colder arenas. Cassidy even jokes about taking the idea one step further.

“I might wear a trench coat one of these days behind there.”

It’s a comment that sums up his approach rather well: respecting hockey’s classic style traditions while adapting what he wears to the realities of the job.

The Suit: An Enduring Part of Hockey Culture

Even as habits change, Cassidy doesn’t see the suit disappearing entirely from the hockey world. In fact, he points out that many players still own an impressive number of them.

“These guys probably all own 25 suits. So I said, ‘Well, when are you going to wear it?’ I said, ‘You might as well wear it to the game.’”

Behind the joke is the same idea that runs throughout Cassidy’s approach to style: dressing up before a game is part of a culture passed down from one generation to the next. Fits change, dress codes evolve and players find new ways to express their personalities. But for an old-school guy like Bruce Cassidy, arriving at the rink looking sharp remains a tradition worth preserving.