Bruins to conduct final interviews in vast coaching search next week
Published
The Boston Bruins will conduct final interviews in their head coaching search next week, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
LeBrun notes that it's unclear who has advanced to the final stage after a vast search that has included talks with Marco Sturm, Jay Woodcroft, Mitch Love, Luke Richardson, Joe Sacco and Jay Leach.
Sacco closed out the season as the team's interim head coach, going 25-30-7 after replacing Jim Montgomery, who started the year with an 8-9-3 record. The Bruins finished last in the Atlantic Division, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Sturm, 46, is currently serving as head coach of the AHL's Ontario Reign. He is in his third season with the club with after spending four years as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings. He spent five seasons with the Bruins from 2005 to 2010 during his playing career.
Woodcroft, 48, most recently worked as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers for parts of three seasons from 2022 to 2023. Fired after a 3-9-1 start last season, he amassed a 79-41-13 over parts of three seasons, reaching the Western Conference Final in 2022.
Love, 40, is also a candidate for the Seattle Kraken's head coaching vacancy. The Washington Capitals assistant coach has spent the past two seasons with the team after two years as an AHL head coach with the Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers.
Leach, 45, was an assistant coach with the Bruins last season after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant with the Seattle Kraken. He served as head coach of the AHL's Providence Bruins from 2017 to 2021.