The Boston Bruins are looking to get back on track quickly following their first missed postseason since the 2015-16 campaign. That process begins with finding their next head coach. They terminated Jim Montgomery midseason and elevated assistant Joe Sacco to temporary head coach.
At the Bruins’ end of season press conference, the team’s general manager, Don Sweeney, made it apparent that their search for a permanent coach had already begun. Sacco is one of the candidates, but Sweeney has already reached out to available candidates.
“I spoke with Joe (Sacco) at length,” he said. “He’s aware that we’re going to have a coaching search. He’s aware that he’ll be part of the final group of coaches that we get down to because I think he’s deserved that. Joe did a really, really good job.”
The initial list of potential head coaches for the Bruins is a long one at this point. Including Sacco, there are plenty of free agent coaches with NHL experience, like Drew Bannister, Jay Woodcroft, John Tortorella, and Peter Laviolette, to name a few. There are a few prominent AHL coaches who are likely to be in the mix as well, including Pascal Vincent with the Laval Rocket and Todd Nelson of the Hershey Bears.
Then there’s the huge wild card in the NHL coaching carousel: David Carle. The head coach at the University of Denver has progressed from a solid coach to a highly sought-after NHL coaching candidate. His performances in Denver, as well as with the United States in the World Junior Championships, have boosted his prospects. He has demonstrated the ability to develop guys into well-rounded NHL players and to swiftly establish chemistry in a locker room.
The list continues, with several NHL assistant coaches emerging as strong possibilities. The Bruins face a difficult assignment in narrowing the list and selecting the appropriate one. It’s the first step toward getting this team back into Stanley Cup contention.
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