Andrew Cassels was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a center in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over 15 seasons. He was born on July 23, 1969, in Bramalea, Ontario, Canada.
Cassels started his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Ottawa 67's in 1986. He played for the team for three seasons and was named the OHL's Most Outstanding Player in 1988-89. In 1987, he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, 17th overall, but he never played for the team.
Instead, Cassels made his NHL debut with the Hartford Whalers in 1989. He played for the Whalers for six seasons and was one of the team's top scorers during his tenure. In 1992-93, he had his best season with the Whalers, scoring 33 goals and 77 points in 84 games.
In 1995, Cassels was traded to the Calgary Flames, where he played for one season before being traded again to the Vancouver Canucks. He played for the Canucks for six seasons and was a key player on the team during that time. In 1998-99, he had his best season with the Canucks, scoring 23 goals and 60 points in 82 games.
In 2002, Cassels signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent. He played for the team for two seasons before being traded to the Washington Capitals in 2004. He played for the Capitals for one season before retiring from the NHL in 2006.
Throughout his NHL career, Cassels was known for his playmaking ability and his ability to set up his teammates for goals. He was also a solid defensive player and was often used on the penalty kill. He finished his NHL career with 204 goals and 528 assists for 732 points in 1015 games.
After retiring from the NHL, Cassels became a coach and worked with various teams in the Ontario Hockey League. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010 to 2013.
Overall, Andrew Cassels had a successful NHL career and was a respected player throughout the league. He was known for his skill and his ability to make his teammates better, and he will always be remembered as a key player on the teams he played for.
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