Here are eight head coaching candidates with less experience the Bruins may want to target
But the case could be made that the Bruins' ceiling could be lifted even higher if they identify and add a fresher voice behind the bench.
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'Communication with players nowadays is paramount,' Sweeney said on April 23. 'Structure, detail, and being organized is paramount. I want a coach that's going to evolve a little bit offensively, and again, that's part and parcel with being able to communicate with sometimes younger players and their stubbornness or their inexperience.
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'We went through some of that this year where players were below their watermarks, and they couldn't get back from it … Driving internal competitiveness is something we have to get back to, and a coach has to be an extension of that. So we are going to address those things through the coaching search, and we're not going to lower the expectations.'
There might be more risk involved with targeting a candidate without NHL head coaching experience, but if the Bruins could
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Here are eight candidates for the Bruins who have not been full-time NHL head coaches.
Misha Donskov
There's plenty of chatter around Donskov, given the 47-year-old's track record of success at just about every stop.
Donskov might be viewed as an outsider to some Bruins fans, but there is a connection.
Related
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During the
Team Canada's 4 Nations GM? Sweeney.
Donskov has drawn high marks in scouting, player development, analytics, and video work.
'The coaches are always looking for an edge, and he's good at finding that,' Stars GM Jim Nill told
Prior to his two seasons with Dallas, Donskov spent seven seasons with the Golden Knights in a variety of roles.
After serving as director of hockey operations for Vegas's first three seasons (2016-19), he made the switch to coaching as an assistant, ending his tenure by winning the
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'I was lucky to have a background in coaching and development, and when analytics started gaining steam, I was able to be in the middle of that,' Donskov told NHL.com. 'It's just one part of the big picture, but I think it's an important tool that you can use. Numbers aren't emotional, they're just facts, so then it's up to you to use them as a tool and as a club in your golf bag. I do think it's been important to go through all of that to get to where I am now.'
Mitch Love
Love, an assistant on Carbery's staff in Washington, was a bruising player during his junior and pro careers, racking up 808 penalty minutes over 278 games in the AHL.
The 40-year-old has compiled an impressive track record as a coach, primarily working with the Capitals' defensemen the last two seasons. Prior to that, he served as head coach of the Calgary Flames' AHL franchise from 2021-23.
Marco Sturm
Sturm, who appeared in 302 games for the Bruins, would seemingly check plenty of boxes.
Sturm has spent the last three seasons coaching the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. Over that stretch, he has a 119-80-17 record while helping top prospects such as Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke develop into impact players.
Marco Sturm coached his native Germany to the Olympic silver medal in PyeongChang, South Korea, in 2018.
Bruce Bennett
Sturm, a native of Germany, coached his country's national team from 2015-18 and
'A guy who may not be on the top of any list, but a guy who's ambitious, a guy who understands players, a guy who has respect,'
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Marc Savard
Another former Bruin, Savard was a playmaking maestro here from 2006-11 before repeated concussions ended his 13-year career prematurely.
After back-to-back Western Conference regular-season titles coaching the OHL's Windsor Spitfires from 2021-23, he spent the last two years as an assistant coach with the Flames and Maple Leafs.
It comes as little surprise that Savard's focus in the NHL
Jay Leach
The 45-year-old Leach had a four-year run as head coach of the Providence Bruins before
Leach was primarily in charge of running the defense in 2024-25.
'They're strong candidates, and they'll be in the candidate pool,' Sweeney said of Leach and Sacco.
Ryan Mougenel
Another in-house candidate, Mougenel has been involved in Providence since 2018-19, the last four years as head coach.
Ryan Mougenel has been head coach of the AHL Providence Bruins for four seasons.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Over that four-season stretch, Mougenel has a 163-87-24-14 record, helping develop prospects such as Mason Lohrei and Matt Poitras.
Todd Nelson
Nelson served as the Oilers' interim head coach for 51 games during the 2014-15 season, but hasn't had a chance to earn a shot as a full-time NHL head coach since.
He's cultivated quite the reputation in the AHL. After winning the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2016-17, Nelson won back-to-back titles with the Hershey Bears (the Capitals' affiliate) in 2023 and 2024.
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Jay Pandolfo
Pandolfo, 50, spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Bruins before
During three seasons as the Terriers' head coach, he has led BU to three straight Frozen Fours, including
The Winchester native and two-time Stanley Cup champion has worked with several established bench bosses in Claude Julien and Cassidy.
Conor Ryan can be reached at
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