Marco Sturm, Mitch Love, Jay Leach in running for Bruins’ head coach job
There seem to be just a few candidates to be the next bench boss in New England.
According to Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco, the three big names in line for the Boston Bruins head coach position are Marco Sturm, Mitch Love and Jay Leach. Di Marco posted that he was told former Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft is not in the running for the role.
Di Marco also reported that the Bruins are expected to announce the new hiring soon.
Sounds like the #nhlbruins will be naming a HC in short order. Marco Sturm continues to be a strong candidate, while Mitch Love (though seems more tied to Pittsburgh at this point) and Jay Leach remain in the mix.
Told Jay Woodcroft is not in the running. @DailyFaceoff
The Bruins are looking for a new head coach after a tumultuous 2024-25 season. The team fired Jim Montgomery early in the season, leading to Joe Sacco taking over on an interim basis. The change did little to help Boston, as the team finished last in the Atlantic Division, posting a below-.500 record for the first time in almost two decades.
Sturm seems to be the leading candidate for the role, as many believe he has what it takes to be a leader in the NHL. After serving as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings for four years, he has been the head coach of the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Ontario Reign.
On top of his experience, Sturm has great ties to Beantown, having played for the Bruins from 2005 to 2010.
Love might not have the same playing pedigree as Sturm, but he’s been working behind the bench for a few more years. Along with working with the Everett Silvertips and Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, the British Columbia native was the head coach for the Calgary Flames’ primary affiliates in Stockton and Calgary. Love has been an assistant for Spencer Carbery with the Washington Capitals for the last two seasons.
There’s some interest in Leach, as he had been an assistant coach with the Bruins this past year. Prior to that, he served as an assistant with the Seattle Kraken during the franchise’s first three years. He was also the head coach of the Providence Bruins, Boston’s AHL affiliate, for four years.