NHL Source: Bruins Looking At Leach, Montgomery, Leaman So Far

According to an NHL source close to the situation, the Boston Bruins have been in contact with former Providence Bruins head coach Jay Leach and former Dallas Stars and Frozen Four champion head coach Jim Montgomery about their vacant head coaching post.

“Both guys are definitely in the mix,” the source confirmed to Boston Hockey Now on Sunday.

This came in response to numerous reports recently that Leach, an assistant with the Seattle Kraken, would be an instant front-runner to replace recently fired Bruce Cassidy due to his working experience with Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. Montgomery was then referenced by Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts segment during the Hockey Night In Canada broadcast of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final that saw the Tampa Bay Lightning earn their third consecutive berth in the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 6 Saturday night.

“Jimmy and Jay are candidates from what I hear,” the aforementioned source told BHN. “They are definitely honed in on coaches that can relate to younger guys, that I know. Do they change gears and go for the big names? Maybe, but that’s where they’re at right now.”

Friedman also reported that Montgomery has been linked to the Winnipeg Jets, and Vegas Golden Knights.

As reported here last Tuesday, Providence College head coach Nate Leaman, UMass-Amherst head coach Greg Carvel, and former Boston Bruins center Marc Savard are also likely candidates to replace Bruce Cassidy as head coach of the Boston Bruins. The same NHL source above told BHN on Sunday that he heard Leaman had indeed been contacted and is a candidate but further sourcing could not confirm that as of Sunday night.

One thing that seems to be clear as of now, is that that the Boston Bruins are leaning towards recent or current NCAA and Junior coaches to come on board and be able to work with youth.