Marco Sturm: 3 Important Facts to Know About the New Bruins Head Coach

Marco Sturm is officially the new head coach of the Boston Bruins after the team hired him on Thursday, making him the 30th head coach in franchise history.

“Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said via a statement.  “His path – playing for multiple NHL teams, coaching internationally, and leading at both the AHL and NHL levels – has shaped a well-rounded coach who’s earned this opportunity

If Sturm’s name sounds familiar, that’s because it should. He spent five seasons playing for the Bruins from 2005-10, with the highlight being is game-winning goal in overtime during the 2010 Winter Classic that lifted Boston over the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park.

#NHLBruins Marco Sturm
2010 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park https://t.co/wDEA3T3pQC pic.twitter.com/rPnE5ftquT

— Shukri Wrights (@ShukriWrights) December 31, 2024

“Boston has always held a special place in my heart, and I know how much this team means to the city and to our fans,” said Sturm. “I’ve felt that passion as a player, and I can’t wait to be behind the bench and feel it again. I’m excited to get to work and do everything I can to help this team succeed.”

As spectacular of a moment as that is, it also seems to be one of the few things people know about Sturm. Here’s what else you need to know about the new head coach of the Black & Gold.

Sturm Was More Than Just a Bruin:

Sturm played a total of 14 seasons in the NHL from 1997 to 2012, appearing in 938 career games and scoring 487 points.

He was originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 1996 NHL Draft, and spent the first eight seasons of his career with them before coming to Boston as part of the return the Bruins received in the Joe Thorton trade.

While with the Bruins, Sturm twice led the team in goals and recorded four 20 goal campaigns across five seasons. He also served as an alternate captain from 2007-10.

Lower-body injuries took their toll on Sturm in the latter half of his career. The Bruins traded him to the Los Angeles Kings in December 2010, where he skated in just 17 games before being put on waivers and getting claimed by the Washington Capitals.

In the summer of 2011, Sturm signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks, but was soon traded once again, this time to the Florida Panthers, and retired at the end of that season.

His Coaching Career and Philosophy:

Once his playing career ended, Sturm quickly jumped into coaching, and took over as both the head coach and general manager of the German national team in 2015

In 2018, Sturm led Germany to a silver-medal finish in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, becoming the first German team to ever appear in the gold-medal game and the first German team to make the Olympic podium since 1976. That same year, Sturm first began working in the Los Angeles Kings organization, first as an assistant under head coaches Todd McLellan and John Stevens for four years, before becoming the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Regin.

While with the Reign, Sturm led the team to a combined record of 119-80-11-6, helping them reach the playoffs in three straight seasons.

Sturm’s work in Ontario over the last few years has elevated his reputation in the coaching ranks. The Kings are notorious for their tight defensive structure, and Sturm was a key figure in helping develop players that Los Angeles views as integral pieces of its core moving forward, namely Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke.

Sturm was a finalist to fill the head coaching vacancy the San Jose Sharks had last year, but they instead chose to hire David Warsofsky.

Decorated On The International Stage:

Sturm has earned some high achievements on the international stage, both as a player and a coach.

A native of Dingolfing, Germany, he played in three Olympics (1998, 2002, 2010), four IIHF Men’s World Championships (1997, 2001, 2004, 2008) and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He leads all German-born players for most NHL games played and ranks second for career goals and career points.

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