Boston Bruins

Bruins Close To Naming Next Coach, But Still Have Hoops To Jump Through

Published

3 weeks ago

May 28, 2025

When there’s smoke, there’s fire, and it’s becoming abundantly clear that the Boston Bruins will soon name their next head coach, with multiple reports indicating the organization is closing in on its final candidates.

Jay Woodcroft, Mitch Love, and Marco Sturm are believed to be the three coaches that the Bruins are considering, according to Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic.

Of the three, Woodcroft is the only one who comes with prior head coaching experience at the NHL level, having led the Edmonton Oilers from 2021 to 2024. However, each one exudes the qualities that Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said he was looking for at the outset of his search, namely the ability to communicate with players and to evolve the team’s offense.

The Bruins are conducting in-person interviews this week with each candidate, and it appears that Sturm is the current favorite. The former Bruin spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, amassing a combined record of 119-80-7 while helping develop players such as Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant coach in Los Angeles under the tutelage of coaches Todd McLellan and John Stevens.

A native of Dingolfing, Germany, Sturm has also served as the head coach of the German national team, leading it to a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Hearing Marco Sturm is set to become the next Boston Bruins head coach

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) May 28, 2025

Still, it’s not a done deal yet.

There were reports earlier this week that Woodcroft has at least discussed the parameters of a potential contract with the Bruins, while Sturm is set to have at least one more meeting with Sweeney and co. in Boston.

“I’m under the impression that Sturm is still supposed to visit Boston,” Elliotte Friedman said on the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “Now, whether that’s to do another interview or be given the job, I can’t say that as we record. But he’s very much in it. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if that was proven to be correct.”

At this point, only time will tell.

With so many reports swirling, it’s hard to decipher who exactly the Bruins are favoring at this stage of the process, with interim coach Joe Sacco and assistant coach Jay Leach also believed to still be in the running.

There’s also the fact that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Seattle Kraken haven’t filled their coaching vacancies yet. Either one could very well poach a candidate out from under the Bruins’ noses, although Seattle is rumored to be leaning more toward veteran coaches such as David Quinn or Lane Lambert.

The one thing that is clear, though, is that whether it be Sturm, Woodcroft, Love or anyone else, the Bruins will soon have their next head coach.

The smoke is getting thicker, and we’re almost out of the woods.