With in-person interviews beginning to take place, the Bruins coaching search is intensifying.
Over the past few days, the names of finalists have begun to trickle out, and Boston’s vision for their coaching vacancy is coming into focus.
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Here’s what’s been reported thus far by outlets that have a track record of breaking Bruins insider information correctly:
External candidates
Marco Sturm
The former Bruins forward has spent the past three seasons coaching the Ontario Reign, Los Angeles’ AHL affiliate. Sturm, 46, been in the Kings organization since 2018 and spent five seasons playing in Boston (2005-10).
Jay Woodcroft
Edmonton’s coach for parts of three seasons, Woodcroft, 48, amassed a 79-41-13 record behind the Oilers bench, but was fired following a slow start to the 2023-24 season.
Mitch Love
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An assistant coach in Washington, Love, 40, is one of the youngest names on the market in this coaching carousel. Love works primarily with Capitals defensemen, who finished Top 10 in goals allowed and penalty kill en route to the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed.
Internal candidates
Joe Sacco and Jay Leach
At Boston’s season-ending press conference, Sweeney said interim coach Sacco would be a finalist regardless of how the rest of the search transpired.
“He’ll be part of the final group of coaches that we get down to, because I think he’s earned and deserved that,” Sweeney said. “Joe, when he took over the first 20 games, did a really, really good job.”
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On his “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman lumped assistant coach Jay Leach into that camp, too.
“I haven’t been given an indication that either one of them has been told they’re out,” Friedman said.
The latest
The most recent update on the Bruins search came from “32 Thoughts,” and affirmed that Sturm is very much in the mix.
“As we record this late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I’m under the impression Sturm is supposed to still visit Boston,” Friedman said. “Whether that’s to do another interview or be given the job, I can’t say that as we record, but he’s very much in it. I’m under the impression that he’s still supposed to visit the Bruins… Woodcroft, I think he’s another serious contender there.”
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