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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bruins GM didn't look for validation from players during coach search
BOSTON — Don Sweeney had a big decision to make this offseason when it came to the Bruins' new coach. After talking to about 14 candidates, the general manager landed on Marco Sturm. The German-born forward will be Boston's third coach in as many seasons. Advertisement The Bruins missed the playoffs in 2024-25 for the first time in nearly a decade. The team struggled to find consistency — especially offensively — and Sweeney his decision on who to name the next coach would be a crucial one. During Sturm's introductory press conference on Tuesday, Sweeney was asked whether he sought the input from players. And while he said he discussed with them characteristics during exit interviews, the conversations didn't go further than that. 'During the process, I did not run a particular name or style by our players,' he said. 'I think our players innately want to be coached. They want to have an understanding of how they're going to be coached, and they value the same things we organizationally value: Communication, respect and culture. 'I wasn't looking for validation from our players in any way, shape or form from deciding who the coach was going to be,' Sweeney later added. 'I want them to understand that Marco's in charge, and we think we've picked a really good coach, and they're going to go to work.' Advertisement Sturm is familiar with the Bruins, though most of his former teammates have retired. The 46-year-old was traded to Boston in 2005 as part of the deal that sent Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks. The forward scored 106 goals during his tenure, but perhaps none more memorable than his overtime game-winner in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park against the Philadelphia Flyers. Even though this is Sturm's first NHL head coaching job, Sweeney is confident he can help turn the team around and get them back into the playoffs. 'Marco went through some of the things that he felt that we had done well but things that we had gotten away from and where the league is at and where the league is heading to,' Sweeney said. 'It's all important parts of it, and the player development part of it was certainly a big part of those conversations and how you do integrate the players and when they're going to be ready and having connectivity with your minor-league program.' More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bruins hire 2010 Winter Classic hero as next coach
The Boston Bruins have their guy. Boston hired Marco Sturm as the organization's new coach. Sturm played for the Bruins for five seasons after he was acquired by the Bruins in a trade that sent Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks in 2005. Advertisement Sturm played hero for Boston in 2010 when he scored the game-winning overtime goal in the Bruins' first Winter Classic appearance at Fenway Park. Sturm takes over for Joe Sacco, who served as Boston's interim coach after Jim Montgomery was fired in November. The Bruins interviewed several candidates including Jay Woodcroft, Jay Leach, Mitch Love and Sacco. The 46-year-old inherits a team that went 33-39-10 in a disappointing 2024-25 season that saw the Bruins trade away Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo and their captain, Brad Marchand. While this is Sturm's first NHL head coaching job, his résumé includes international experience, including leading the German national team to a silver medal in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. The German-born forward has been with the AHL's Ottawa Reign for three seasons where he's thrived as their coach. The team went 119-80-11-6 during his tenure and made three consecutive playoff appearances. Advertisement Before that, Sturm spent time as an assistant with the Los Angeles Kings. With Sturm on board, the Bruins' next priority will be the NHL Draft later this month where they have the No. 7 pick. In 938 NHL games, Sturm registered 487 points. More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
5 things to know about new Boston Bruins coach
Marco Sturm is coming back to TD Garden. After an exhaustive search, the former Bruins forward has been named the franchise's 30th head coach. Boston was the final team to fill their head coaching vacancy this offseason. Advertisement 'I'm incredibly honored to be named head coach of the Boston Bruins,' Sturm said in a statement. 'I want to thank Charlie Jacobs and the Jacobs family, Cam Neely, and Don Sweeney for trusting me with this opportunity. 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. 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.' Here are five things to know about the first-time NHL head coach with 938 games under his belt as a player: 1. Sturm wasn't one-goal wonder in Boston While he appears on most Bruins highlight reels scoring the 2010 Winter Classic overtime clincher at Fenway Park, Sturm's career in Boston was far more expansive than one game-winning goal. Advertisement A piece of the return in 2005's stunning Joe Thornton trade, Sturm spent five seasons in Boston, scoring more than 20 goals four times. He played on Patrice Bergeron's left wing in the center's early days and finished with 106 goals in 302 games as a Bruin. 'As a former Bruin, he understands what this team means to the city and our fans,' general manager Don Sweeney said. 'We're embracing a new direction with Marco behind the bench and are confident his energy, standards, and commitment to a competitive, hard-nosed brand of hockey reflect exactly what Bruins hockey should be.' 2. He has been coaching the Ontario Reign Though he doesn't have NHL head coaching experience, Sturm has spent the past three seasons behind the bench for Ontario, the Kings' AHL affiliate, posting a 119-80-11-6 record. The 46-year-old led the Reign to postseason berths in all three seasons, winning one playoff series. Last season Sturm coached former Bruins prospect Jack Studnicka (16 goals, 29 assists) in Ontario. 3. Sturm comes from defensive-minded Kings system The Bruins have made it no secret they're looking for a defense-first approach, and Sturm comes from a Kings franchise that's notorious for being defensive-minded. He spent 2018-2022 as an assistant in Los Angeles before his promotion to Ontario. Advertisement 'Throughout this process, our goal was to identify a coach who could uphold our strong defensive foundation while helping us evolve offensively,' Sweeney said. 'We were also looking for a communicator and leader – someone who connects with players, develops young talent, and earns the respect of the room. Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion. 4. Germany-native has coached internationally A native of Dingolfing, Sturm played for the German national team in international tournaments and has coached it, too. The Germans won a silver medal under Sturm at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, and he's coached them three times (2016-18) in the IIHF World Championships, too. 5. Sturm was once Germany's scoring leader With 487 career points (242 goals and 245 assists), Sturm was the most prolific German scorer of all-time until Oilers phenom Leon Draisaitl came along. Draisaitl broke Sturm's mark in 2021 and has since obliterated it playing alongside Connor McDavid. Advertisement 'Of course, this is a great honor for me. We have some great hockey players who come from Germany. To top this list means a lot to me,' Draisaitl said after breaking the record. More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Matt Vautour: Bruins passed on safer choices to chase Marco Sturm's higher ceiling
Anyone praising or criticizing the Bruins' choice of Marco Sturm to be the franchise's next head coach is guessing. Nobody knows how a 46-year-old former player, who has never been a head coach in the NHL before, will fare. Advertisement But to their credit or detriment, the Bruins' front office took a big swing. With Marco Sturm, they chose to chase the potential of a high ceiling rather than the safety of a probable high floor. Years from now, history will judge that as either brilliant or risky. If Sturm is the next Kris Knoblauch, they'll be thrilled. If he's Ralph Krueger, they're in trouble. There were safer choices. In the NHL, there's always a former coach ready to be a current coach. And this year was no different. The search cycle started with six former Stanley Cup-winning coaches available and several others with prior experience. But the Bruins went for the unknown. Sturm has the benefit of being both a recognizable name and a fresh voice. Fans will like that he's the guy who scored memorable game-winning goals in the first Winter Classic in Boston and in Game 6 against the Canadiens in 2008. He'll understand what hockey means to the city and what the fanbase is like. Advertisement But while he played for the Bruins, he earned his coaching stripes in Los Angeles and in Germany. He won't be more of the same. His emphasis on defensive reliability meshes with Don Sweeney's preferred approach, but he'll come at it differently. While both tenures ended in disappointment, Sweeney has previously identified and hired two good coaches. Bruce Cassidy led the Bruins to the finals and Vegas to a Cup. Jim Montgomery won the Jack Adams Award in 2023, but might have done a better coaching job in 2023-24 when he led a salary-cap ravaged team back to the second round of the playoffs. St. Louis improved upon his arrival. Advertisement Sturm has a different initial assignment than the one given to his predecessors, though. Cassidy and Montgomery were given high-end rosters with a charge to win a Cup. Sturm gets a team with pieces and question marks. While the Bruins have stated that they don't think this is a rebuild, but a retooling, they owe Sturm some patience. Like any new coach, he'll make mistakes. But the Bruins are hoping his youth helps him connect with a roster of younger players in a way that helps spark their development and that the long-term results outweigh any growing pains. Change the rule... The Oilers won Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on a power-play goal on one of the worst penalties in sports. Advertisement Tomas Nosek accidentally flipped the puck into the stands, an automatic delay of game minor, creating a rare overtime power play. That a game that important was decided by a penalty so insignificant is bad for hockey. A delay of game should be treated like icing. The team that committed the out-of-play flip should have a defensive zone faceoff and not be allowed to change lines. That gives them a disadvantage proportional to the infraction and enough disincentive not to do it. No Charlie... NCAA President Charlie Baker says he sees value in expanding the NCAA basketball tournaments. The only people who think this is a good idea are coaches and athletic directors, whose jobs and bonuses come making the field. Advertisement Currently, the first day of the NCAA Tournament is one of the best days in sports. Expansion would turn it into the basketball version of the Independence Bowl. Leave the tournament alone. Real Jeopardy! Clue Sports clues from actual editions of America's favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date CATEGORY: CULTURE, IN THE POPULAR SENSE - $400 - Last Monday It's something many use every day to unlock things online & the nickname of Red Sox prospect Jhostynxon Garcia. — Answer below The Top 5 Top 5 Boston Sports Beards of this century In honor of David Andrews' retirement: 5 - Johnny Damon 4 - Jaylen Brown Advertisement 3 - Zdeno Chara 2 - David Andrews 1 - Jonny Gomes/Mike Napoli tied Today in Boston Sports History June 6 1944 — Since it's the 81st anniversary of D-Day. I'm straying from Boston sports for the day to mention that Yogi Berra (Navy) and golfing legend Bobby Jones (Army) each took part in the Normandy invasion. Civil rights activist Medgar Evers was also part of the history changing assault on the French beaches that day. Star Trek and Star Wars came together too. James Doohan (Scotty) and Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) were part of the Canadian Army and British Royal Navy, respectively. Lightning round Thunder in 5, Oilers in 7. The Red Sox being lousy when they tried to be good is worse than being lousy when they didn't invest. WWE is doing some great build-up for Trump vs. Musk at Summer Slam. 'Sinners' was terrific and might have one of the coolest movie scores I've ever heard. Nic Enright coming back from cancer to make it to the major leagues is one of the reasons we love sports. It's fun to watch the ball jump off of Blaze Jordan's bat. The Bruins didn't get enough for Brad Marchand, but pushing that pick back a few years was actually smart. The Panthers are aging. They're better off if it gets pushed to 2028 and isn't Top 10 protected. Real Jeopardy! Question: What is Password? Headline Crystal Ball: Sunday: Last week: I was on vacation from work and on vacation from being wrong in my predictive headlines. Finally... If you need me, I'll be at Bear's BBQ. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bruins coach: Joe Thornton trade ‘not my fault'
BOSTON — It's one of the most maligned trades in Boston sports history. In November of 2005, the Bruins traded superstar forward Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau, and Brad Stuart. Thornton went on to win the MVP award, becoming the first Hart Trophy winner to play for two teams in the same season, while the Bruins players struggled to match his success. Advertisement Sturm was the best of the bunch, scoring 106 goals across five seasons with Boston, while Primeau and Stuart were both gone after a year and a half with the Bruins. 'The Joe Thornton trade, I mean, it was not my fault, right?' Sturm joked at his introductory press conference as Bruins head coach on Tuesday morning. As a part of that trade, Sturm is acutely aware of how tough it can be to play in Boston, but he believes that environment made things sweeter in the long run. 'I got here and it was difficult. I'm not going to lie,' Sturm said. 'It was difficult because everyone loved Joe and it was a big trade, but I understood really quickly why it happened... so I saw in that year or two, it was a little painful. It was not easy. As soon as you read the paper or social media or even you go on the street, people will let you know. But also, it pushes you. I saw it the positive way. Advertisement 'Then the years after that, especially when Claude (Julien) took over, you could see the process. You could see every year how we got better. All of a sudden I saw a big, big change here in the city of Boston, because they're behind you. That feeling alone, it feels like yesterday to me. That's exactly what I want to bring back.' More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
