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Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
New Bruins coach Marco Sturm has seen the passion of Boston fans — from both sides
BOSTON — Marco Sturm got his first taste of the passionate Bruins fans when he was traded to Boston for No. 1 overall draft pick — and soon-to-be NHL MVP — Joe Thornton. 'I mean, it wasn't my fault, right?' the former Bruins forward told chuckling reporters on Tuesday at a news conference to introduce him as the team's coach. 'I got here, and it was difficult. I'm not going to lie. You read the paper or social media or even you go on the street, people will let you know, right?
Associated Press
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
New Bruins coach Marco Sturm has seen the passion of Boston fans — from both sides
BOSTON (AP) — Marco Sturm got his first taste of the passionate Bruins fans when he was traded to Boston for No. 1 overall draft pick — and soon-to-be NHL MVP — Joe Thornton. 'I mean, it wasn't my fault, right?' the former Bruins forward told chuckling reporters on Tuesday at a news conference to introduce him as the team's coach. 'I got here, and it was difficult. I'm not going to lie. You read the paper or social media or even you go on the street, people will let you know, right? 'But also it pushes you. And I saw it in the positive way,' Sturm said. 'I've got such good memories here. And I know the fans, as soon as they feel that there's something good happening here, they will support you. I know that. It kind of goes the other way, too. But I don't want to talk about that. I want to look forward.' A three-time Olympian and first-round draft pick who played five of his 14 NHL seasons for the Bruins, Sturm led Germany to a silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and spent the next six years in the Los Angeles Kings organization, the last three as head coach of its AHL affiliate. The 46-year-old former left wing replaces Joe Sacco, who finished the season as the interim coach after Jim Montgomery was fired in November. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said that as the team tries to rebuild after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016 it was important to have a coach 'who understands our fan base and values the same things — of being incredibly hard out each and every night.' The Bruins marked the occasion with a news conference in their offices overlooking Causeway Street and the TD Garden. Former captain Patrice Bergeron, who assisted on Sturm's overtime game-winner in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park, was in the front row as a show of support. German chocolate cupcakes — a nod to the new coach's heritage — were served. Sturm said he never considered coaching while he played, but he started working with his own kids before getting the job as head coach and general manager of the German national team in 2015. 'And that's where I really realized, 'This is actually me,'' he said. 'And that's where I have passion. That's where I'm good at. And then to go after that.' He put his plans for family time on hold and spent six years living in Los Angeles, away from his wife and children. 'I was chasing my dream,' Sturm said, adding that the children, who are now 19 and 21, missed Boston since moving away. 'My kids grew up there. They always wanted to come back. And here I am. Now they get their wish.' Sturm said he wouldn't have taken just any opening, but the Bruins presented a team that has strong goaltending in Jeremy Swayman and a solid core led by defenseman Charlie McAvoy and forward David Pastrnak that could push for the playoffs if it stays healthy. Boston also stockpiled draft picks and young talent from the midseason trade deadline purge that shipped off several veterans — including Brad Marchand, the only remaining member of their 2011 Stanley Cup championship roster. After posting 100-plus points in six straight non-pandemic-shortened seasons — including a Presidents' Trophy in 2023, when they set NHL records of 65 wins and 135 points — the Bruins finished with 76 points this season; only three teams were worse. 'Every job — it doesn't matter if you're in Boston or not — will be a challenge. But it's a good challenge. I love challenges,' Sturm said. 'I know the expectations here. I know how it is. But as long as I'm putting my work and preparation in, I know I will be in good shape.' ___ AP NHL:
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Here are some things to know about new Bruins coach Marco Sturm
Here are a few things to know about the new bench boss of the Bruins: He arrived in Boston in one of the biggest trades in franchise history On Nov. 30, 2005, the Bruins shipped center Joe Thornton to the Sharks for Sturm, Brad Stuart, and Wayne Primeau. It's safe to say the Sharks won that trade, although Thornton went on to play another 17 years, including 15 with the Sharks, and finished his career with 1,539 points (430 goals, 1,109 assists). Advertisement Stuart played in 103 games for the Bruins, and Primeau 101 before both were shipped to the Flames on Feb. 11, 2007, for Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up But Sturm, who at the time of the trade was in his eighth season in San Jose and was a first-round selection of the Sharks in 1996, stuck around for 302 games and was a vital contributor, posting 193 points (106 goals, 87 assists). He notched 23 goals and 20 assists in the 51 games he skated with the Bruins for the remainder of the 2005-06 season, establishing career highs in goals (29) and assists (30) when including his numbers with the Sharks at the beginning of the season. Advertisement He had some clutch goals with the Bruins Sturm had some memorable moments during his time in Boston. On April 19, 2008, he scored the winning goal late in Game 6 of a first-round series against the Canadiens, lifting the puck over a sprawled-out Carey Price with 2:37 remaining. The 5-4 win in front of the home crowd forced a Game 7 at Montreal, which the Canadiens won, 5-0. He posted two goals and two assists in the series, following up a 27-29—56 line in 80 regular-season games. Sturm was at it again the first time Boston hosted the Winter Classic, on Jan. 1, 2010. It was a low-scoring affair, with the Bruins and Flyers each mustering a single goal through three periods at Fenway Park. In overtime, Sturm posted up in front of the Philadelphia net and redirected Patrice Bergeron's pass past Flyers goalie Michael Leighton at 1:57 to give the Bruins It was the first time the home team prevailed in the Winter Classic, and the first one decided in overtime. (The Penguins defeated the Sabres in a shootout at Ralph Wilson Field in the inaugural edition, and the Red Wings beat the Blackhawks, 6-4, at Wrigley Field in 2009.) The following season, Sturm was traded to the Kings on Dec. 11, 2010, for future considerations. He played just two more seasons in the NHL, skating for the Kings, Capitals, Canucks, and Panthers for a total of 83 games. He coached Germany to a silver medal in the 2018 Olympics By the time Sturm's NHL career was over after the 2011-12 season, the native of Dingolfing, Germany, had appeared in 938 games, finishing with 242 goals and 245 assists. He leads German players in NHL games and ranks second for goals and points, behind Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl. Advertisement As a player, Sturm represented Germany in three Olympic Winter Games (1998, 2002, 2010), one World Cup of Hockey (2004), four IIHF World Championships (1997, 2001, 2004, 2008), and two IIHF World Junior Championships (1995, 1996). It was fitting then, that he broke into the coaching ranks in Germany, serving as coach and general manager for the national team from 2015-18, leading the squad to a silver medal in the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. Related : While that tournament did not feature NHL players, defeating Sweden and Canada to reach the gold medal game was still stunning. The bid for gold fell just short when the Germans surrendered a tying goal late in regulation and went on to lose to a heavily favored Olympic Athletes from Russia squad in overtime. The team's performance was enough to He was a finalist for the San Jose job last offseason before the Follow Andrew Mahoney
National Post
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- National Post
Justin Bieber celebrates Toronto Maple Leafs' Game 1 victory: 'This the yearski'
Article content Bieber was quiet during Toronto's first-round series against the Ottawa Senators, who the squad beat in six games. But periodically over the years, the Peaches singer, who is pals with Leafs captain Auston Matthews, has fearlessly cheered on Toronto on social media. Article content His 2021 song Hold On (a track he said was a 'love letter to the Maple Leafs') was dedicated to the group and he even co-designed one of the Leafs' alternate 'Next Gen' jerseys. Article content During the pandemic-shortened NHL season back in 2021, the London, Ont.-born pop star took his fandom to a whole new level when he picked the Leafs to win the Stanley Cup. Article content After Matthews, Mitch Marner and Joe Thornton combined for seven points (three goals, four assists) for a 3-2 road win over the Ottawa Senators, Bieber shared an image of the Leafs' logo to his Instagram page with the words, 'This is the year.' Article content Bieber regularly posted about the Leafs that season on his Instagram, but after the club blew a 3-1 series lead to lose in the first round against the Montreal Canadiens, some fans wondered if the singer had jinxed the team by his overzealous boasting. Article content Article content Prior to that series, Bieber was spotted on the Jumbotron during a Game 6 defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals back in 2016. With the team then eliminated from the NHL playoffs, he took to Instagram to jab the Habs. Article content View this post on Instagram A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) Article content Article content Following the team's Game 7 defeat to the Bruins in 2019, fans lashed out at the Baby hitmaker and Toronto rapper Drake, who were spotted cheering on the team in person throughout the series, prompting then-Leafs coach Mike Babcock to weigh in on allegations of a curse. Article content 'I've heard lots of things since I've come here,' Babcock said at the time. 'But that's one of the craziest things. The game is played on the ice by us. There's no curse whatsoever.' Article content After the 2021 debacle, Bieber kept his Leafs social media mentions to a minimum. But the father of one did manage to pop up in person at Scotiabank Arena once in a while, most notably dressed as 'Willy Wonka' during a December 2022 tilt against the Los Angeles Kings. Article content During one surprise appearance in 2023, Drake spotted Bieber's social media post and playfully asked why he wasn't invited to tag along. Article content Article content When he spoke to ESPN during Team Matthews' first round match against Team Hughes, Bieber called his All-Star experience 'unbelievable.'
Boston Globe
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Bruins awarded No. 7 pick in NHL draft lottery
Boston went into the night with an 8.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick. The franchise hasn't had the top selection since 1997, when it picked Joe Thornton. Advertisement The NHL Draft will be held in Los Angeles June 27 and 28. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The Bruins began lottery night with the No. 5 pick after putting together a 33-39-10 record, which was tied for last in the Eastern Conference. They had a chance to move to No. 1 or 2 overall depending on how the Ping-Pong balls bounced. They also could have slipped to no worse than No. 7 if one or two teams jumped them in the drawing. The full first-round order won't be known until the completion of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Bruins have three other picks in the top 100. The club has two second-round selections (Nos. 51 and 55) and one in the third round (No. 69). Advertisement Since 2000, the Bruins have picked in the top 10 five times: Lars Jonsson (seventh in 2000), Phil Kessel (fifth in 2006), Zach Hamill (eighth in 2007), Tyler Seguin (second in 2010), and Hamilton. Seguin and Hamilton are still active, while Kessel recently retired after collecting 413 goals and 992 points in 1,286 games. Jonsson (eight career games, zero goals) and Hamill (20 career games, zero goals) never made an impact in the NHL. The Bruins' franchise-best draft pick also came in the top 10, when Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque was plucked at No. 8 in 1979. Boston took center Dean Letourneau with its first-round pick a year ago. The 6-foot-7-inch Letourneau, the 25th overall pick, had three assists in 36 games for Boston College this past season. Jim McBride can be reached at
