Bruins
“On Bruins’ coaching search, my understanding is final interviews will be conducted next week and then a decision to come after that.”
The Bruins are reportedly set to enter the home stretch in their extended search for a new head coach.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun took to social media on Thursday to offer up an update on Don Sweeney’s efforts at finding a new bench boss, noting that in-person interviews are set to commence next week.
“On Bruins’ coaching search, my understanding is final interviews will be conducted next week and then a decision to come after that,” LeBrun posted. “Not sure who made the cut.”
LeBrun’s report falls in line with the message echoed by Cam Neely to The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride about Boston’s timeline.
“[Sweeney’s] going to whittle that [list] down and do some in-person interviews coming up here shortly,” Neely told McBride. “So, he’s gone through a fairly extensive process, and I think he’s getting to a point where he’s going to now invite a few of them in for in-person interviews.”
As LeBrun noted, it’s unclear who remains in the running for Boston’s head-coaching vacancy. However, he did rattle off a few possible candidates.
“Boston has talked to a lot of people,” LeBrun added. “Marco Sturm, Jay Woodcroft, Mitch Love, Luke Richardson, Joe Sacco, Jay Leach among those believed to have interviewed…”
One name not on LeBrun’s list is popular coaching target Misha Donskov, who is currently serving as assistant coach with the Dallas Stars.
Speaking with the Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy on Tuesday, Sweeney acknowledged that he was no longer waiting to speak with any other coaches still in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That could signal that Donskov is no longer in the running, although it’s unclear if the Bruins have already reached out and had a conversation with the Stars assistant.
Even if Donskov is out of the equation, there are several intriguing candidates still available for Boston this offseason, especially when it comes to fresh voices looking to secure their first NHL head-coaching gig.
Sturm, 46, is a former Bruins player who has elevated his coaching stock both in North America and in international competition.
Sturm has spent the last three seasons coaching the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. Over that stretch, he has coached his club to a 119-80-17 record while helping top prospects like Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke develop into impact players.
Prior to his current post, Sturm was an assistant coach with the Kings from 2018-22. He also coached Germany’s Olympic team from 2015-18, helping his native country win a Silver Medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Love, 40, is viewed as one of the top young assistant coaches in the NHL. He spent the last two seasons primarily working with the Capitals’ defensemen on Spencer Carbery’s staff. Before that, Love was head coach of the Calgary Flames’ AHL franchise from 2021-23.
Over those two years leading the Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers, Love posted a record of 96-33-9-3, winning the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award (given to the most outstanding AHL coach) in back-to-back seasons.
With the Chicago Blackhawks announcing the hiring of Jeff Blashill as their new head coach on Thursday, only the Bruins, Penguins, and Kraken are currently without bench bosses this offseason.
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