Cassidy, who grew up in Lake Placid, will be leaving his role as the head coach of the boys junior hockey team at Northwood School. He will become the head coach and general manager for the Omaha Lancers, in Nebraska, in the United States Hockey League.

Cassidy became the head coach of Northwood in 2015. In his tenure with the school, he posted a record of 211-56-19 as well as a New York state championship title in 2019 and a bronze medal at the national tournament that same year. According to a press release from Northwood, Cassidy won 100 games at the school before he lost 20.

According to Northwood, Cassidy has a slogan “It’s a process.” The slogan refers to more than just the power play or the penalty kill; it’s about taking an unselfish, mature, professional approach.

“Chadd Cassidy was an excellent member of not only our hockey program, but our Northwood community for the last six years,” Northwood athletic director Trevor Gilligan said. “He provided first class hockey coaching. But more importantly he was a positive mentor and role model for all of the kids he coached and taught.”

Cassidy described his decision to leave Northwood as “very difficult,” but is grateful for the opportunity to have an additional role with the Lancers.

The USHL has produced numerous National Hockey League players. Cassidy will join an organization that has a rich history of being successful, as the Lancers have won the most titles in the USHL since 1979.

With his new role as general manager and head coach, he will not only be coaching but he will be handling all player-personnel moves such as trading, signing and drafting players.

Previously, Cassidy was the head coach for the Rochester Americans, the minor league affiliate for the Buffalo Sabres, of the American Hockey League. He had also worked as the assistant coach for the U.S. National under 18 team from 2006 to 2011.

“When I came to professional hockey, I was still pretty much a boy; Chadd taught me how to play and conduct myself as a man,” a former Rochester American that Cassidy coached was quoted in a press release.

He leaves behind a men’s hockey program in a good spot as Northwood will join the Prep Hockey Conference, which will launch this year. The PHC is made up of six elite men’s prep hockey school that have historically developed NHL players and top-end college players.

“They are in good hands,” said Cassidy. “Northwood has always had an incredible hockey program, and will continue its success.”

As of today Northwood has not hired a replacement for Cassidy, but is in the process of finding a new head coach.

“The hockey world is very small and once the news broke, we’ve been in contact with many extremely qualified coaches,” Gilligan said.

According to Cassidy, he plans on helping the school find a new head coach.