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The Boston Bruins quickly backed newly appointed interim coach Joe Sacco after he fired coach Jim Montogomery just 20 games into the regular season.
Sacco, who has been on the Bruins bench as an associate and assistant coach since 2014, is expected to right the ship after the Bruins stumbled to an 8-9-3 record. His tenure as Boston’s bench boss follows three Jack Adams winners: Claude Julien, Bruce Cassidy and Montgomery.
“I believe Joe Sacco has the coaching experience to refocus the players and the team on the consistent effort the NHL needs to be successful,” Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney said in a statement.
After spending 10 seasons as an assistant coach for the Bruins, Sacco was promoted to associate coach in July, above assistants Chris Kelly and Jay Leach. The Massachusetts product is a veteran of 738 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers.
“Joe Sacco has a wealth of experience and knowledge of our roster and can help lead our team in the right direction,” Bruins president Cam Neely said in the release. “He has a deep understanding of our standards and expectations, and I trust he will do everything he can to achieve our organization’s goals this season.”
That said, Sacco’s leash could be short considering he has the interim title and the Bruins’ playoff and Stanley Cup aspirations. The team has qualified for the playoffs in 15 of the past 17 seasons, resulting in three finals appearances and one Stanley Cup. However, Boston has not advanced beyond the second round since appearing in the 2019 finals.
Here are some coaching candidates who could be called up if Boston looks for a more permanent replacement down the road. Honorable mentions include Don Granato, Jay Leach, Dave Hakstol and Ryan Mougenel.
What are the odds that Boston ultimately hires David Carle – who was mentored by Jim Montgomery at NCAA Denver – as the Bruins’ next full-time coach?
— Ryan Kennedy (@THNRyanKennedy) November 19, 2024
David Carle
The winning pedigree of Carle, a former colleague of Montgomery, is undeniable – even if it is at the collegiate level.
Carle currently coaches at the University of Denver and served as an assistant coach under then-Denver coach Montgomery for part of five seasons before taking the job in 2018.
After the Pioneers won the 2017 national championship, Carle led the program to the Frozen Four in his first year as head coach. Since then, he has captured two national championships in 2022 and 2024.
Carle also served as the U.S. coach for the 2024 World Junior Championships, where he guided them to the gold medal over Sweden.
Although he would have to be yanked from his job at Denver, Carle appears to be an NHL coach in the making with the results he has had.
Related: Three NHL teams that should consider hiring Jim Montgomery
Gerard Gallant
Gallant could be an attractive option for a Boston club looking to win multiple rounds of the playoffs. Gallant did wonders for the Vegas Golden Knights in their first season, taking them to the Stanley Cup Final.
More recently, Gallant coached the New York Rangers to back-to-back 100-point seasons. He took them to the Eastern Conference finals in 2022 before losing his job the following year.
Gallant is known as a player coach, who could help a team that has been through a lot of stress, with Montgomery recently selecting David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Jeremy Swayman. The tough approach didn’t seem to help matters, so perhaps a “just go play” mentality is what Boston needs.
Todd McLellan
McLellan, another veteran NHL bench boss, has an excellent regular-season track record with mixed playoff results.
Known for his defensively structured systems, McLellan could be an attractive option to help the Bruins play disciplined hockey en route to a playoff berth. He was able to do that with the Oilers and Kings teams that had to be cleared on their own turf.
Friedman on 32TP says rumors have emerged around teams possibly looking at Joel Quenneville and Todd McLellan as candidates for a coaching change. EF on the Bruins: “I think even if Boston were to change something, I think someone like Jim Montgomery would be a candidate in other places”
— NHL watcher (@NHL_Watcher) November 12, 2024
To date, his most significant achievements in the NHL playoffs are his back-to-back appearances in the conference finals in 2010 and 2011 with the San Jose Sharks.
Jay Woodcroft
After coming out of nowhere to lead the Oilers to their first Western Conference finals since 2006, Woodcroft was fired early last season after the Oilers started the season with a 3-9-1 record.
New coach Kris Knoblauch took those Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final, leaving us to ponder what might have happened if Woodcroft had stayed in Edmonton.
It’s difficult to gauge how much of Woodcroft’s success as Oilers coach can be attributed to coaching two of the best players in the world: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but a 79-41-13 regular-season record would give him should earn a second look. as an NHL coach.
Related: NHL Power Rankings: Heat level on each coach after Bruins firing – and a new No. 1
Jay Pandolfo
A swing-for-the-fences option, Pandolfo is the current coach of Boston University, a position he has held for three seasons. Despite his short tenure, the former New Jersey Devils and Bruins left winger has already led the Terriers to back-to-back Frozen Fours.
Pandalfo has also been an assistant coach with the Bruins for five seasons, so he is familiar with the organization. Like Carle, it may be difficult to get Pandolfo out of his university job, but he has the makings of a professional banking boss.
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