It had been years since that fateful playoff game when Calle Johansson ran into Bruce Cassidy again, any animosity long gone. As coach of the Washington Capitals in 2003, Cassidy had infamously benched Johansson during the postseason, in what was ultimately the popular defenseman’s last game with the team. Johansson was understandably furious at the time, but he didn’t expect that history to come up as the two men started catching up in a press box. It was Cassidy who then wanted to apologize.
“I said, ‘Bruce, you don’t have to do that. I really appreciate you doing it, but you don’t have to because I don’t have a grudge against you or anything,’ ” Johansson recalled.