A Legend Returns

A Legend Returns

By Brian Farrell, QBSN Staff Writer

In 2005-2006, Quinnipiac University made a major move in Division-I college hockey by switching from Atlantic Hockey to the ECAC. Their top scorer was a defenseman, and had led Atlantic Hockey in scoring the previous season. He led all NCAA defensemen in scoring. Critics claimed that things would be different for the Bobcats, and Quinnipiac wouldn’t be successful in the new league. Reid Cashman would be silenced on the power play and on the scoreboard. The critics were wrong.

Rand Pecknold, Cashman’s then-coach, remembers not being worried about Cashman and the league change. “He had great competitiveness, great work ethic, his hockey sense was excellent. He was a really high end offensive defenseman, which is hard to come by in college and on the professional level.” Teams in Atlantic Hockey knew that and soon, the ECAC did as well.

Cashman would continue to tear apart opposing defenses, scoring 41 points to lead all ECAC defenseman in scoring in his first year in the new league. He would go on to have his third straight 40-plus-point season the following year en route to earning the respect of his coach both on and off the ice"

“He’s not just a great player, but a great person too. He did a lot here from a character respective. He is arguable one of our best players of all time and one of our best people of all time,” Pecknold said.

 
His critics would turn to believers as he made the jump to the professional level and continued to play at a high rate. Cashman has spent the past eight seasons playing in the AHL, ECHL, and a brief stint overseas in Austria. But now he returns to his roots.

In mid-June Quinnipiac University announced that assistant coach Ben Syer had left the team to replace the void left by Casey Jones at Cornell University. In a slew of coaching changes in the league, Jones took the head coaching job at Clarkson University.

“Our applicant pool was phenomenal,” said Pecknold. “We had successful college coaches, NHL players that were looking to get into coaching, AHL coaches, and alumni that were all interested in the position. I was absolutely blown away by how good the applicant pool was.”

A month later the New Haven Register reported that Quinnipiac had found a replacement. The new coach never did sign a contract and eventually decided not to take the job, thus leaving the position open once again.

“I went through the first round pool and it was decided that the university was going to go a different route and that was totally fine with me,” said Cashman. It was at that point that Cashman figured it was time to continue his playing career, or so he thought.

When things didn’t work out with QU’s original pick, Pecknold came calling. “I got the call on I believe a Wednesday,” said Cashman. “I was in New Hampshire and was literally packing to go to Germany on Friday. If they had called 48 hours later I would have been gone and had to turn the offer down.”

So in early August, Cashman got the call from his alma mater to return as the new assistant coach at Quinnipiac University and he couldn’t say no.

Once Cashman signed, Pecknold was clear that he wanted someone fresh, even if it did come in a familiar package.  

“When Ben left one thing that I was looking at is that we wanted someone that would bring something new to the table. Obviously, [Cashman] will bring in some of the same things as us because we coached him, but he has been on other teams since that time and has played for some great coaches and learned a lot more,” Pecknold said.

One of those great coaches for whom Cashman played is 2009 Stanley Cup champion coach Dan Bylsma of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cashman played for him in 2009 while Bylsma was still with the AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Just 57 games into that NHL season Bylsma was called up to take the job in Pittsburgh.

“I tell people that he was one of the best coaches that I ever played for,” Cashman said. “When he got called up mid-way through the season that year my teammates and I were sitting in the locker room thinking that he could be the difference maker for that team.”

One of the major pieces that Cashman brings to the table is his expansive knowledge of the power play, something that Quinnipiac struggled with last season.

“Last year was one of our poorest offensive seasons that I can remember in my time here,” Pecknold said. “Our power play was our worst in maybe 14 seasons. That needs to get better,”

“I am just trying to fit the role here,” Cashman said. “Being on the power play was one of my jobs when I was at Quinnipiac and throughout my playing career and if the coaches want my help, then that will be a part of my role.”

Still with all the praise that Cashman has received since the league change, and throughout his professional career, he is once again being criticized.

When asked if he was afraid about hiring someone who has never coached before, Pecknold sort of tilted his head with a smirk saying, “Everyone has to start somewhere.” For Cashman and Quinnipiac there might not be a better place to start. “You can feel the buzz around here, said Pecknold. “The people that know Reid are really excited to have him back.”