Bruins set to interview these five head coach candidates originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins’ search for their next head coach has begun in earnest.
After firing Bruce Cassidy last week, the Bruins have scheduled interviews with five head coach candidates, per Joe McDonald of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Here’s the list: Jim Montgomery, Jay Leach, Joe Sacco, Spencer Carbery and David Quinn.
Five candidates the Bruins should consider for head coach opening
Here’s some quick background on each candidate:
Jim Montgomery
Montgomery has been an assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues for the past two seasons. He previously served as the Dallas Stars’ head coach from 2018 to 2020, compiling a 60-43-11 record before being fired midway through the 2019-20 season.
Jay Leach
Leach has history with the Bruins organization, having spent four seasons coaching the AHL’s Providence Bruins from 2017 to 2021 before joining the Seattle Kraken to be an assistant coach for their inaugural season. A Providence College alum, Leach also briefly served as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ interim head coach during the 2015-16 campaign.
Joe Sacco
A Medford, Mass., native and former Boston University star, Sacco has been a Bruins assistant coach since 2014 and was with Cassidy throughout his Boston tenure. Sacco also spent four seasons as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche from 2009 to 2013, compiling at 130-134-40 record.
Spencer Carbery
Carbery has just one year of NHL coaching experience after joining the Toronto Maple Leafs’ staff as an assistant last summer. His previous role was head coach of the Washington Capitals’ AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, from 2018 to 2021.
David Quinn
Quinn most recently served as head coach of the New York Rangers, going 96-87-25 and failing to win a playoff game over three seasons from 2018 to 2021. He also spent five seasons as Boston University’s head coach (2013 to 2018) and coached the United States men’s hockey team at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
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It’s possible this list grows, as Barry Trotz and Nate Leaman also have been mentioned as potential head coach candidates for Boston. Cassidy has already landed a new gig with the Vegas Golden Knights, however, so expect the Bruins to move quickly with several other offseason needs to address.
