Sacco, 55, will have greater opportunity to help coach Jim Montgomery try to spot trends as the game unfolds.
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Joe Sacco will begin the new NHL season this October with a new, expanded title with the Bruins. After spending the last 10 seasons as an assistant coach, working alongside bench bosses
Claude Julien,
Bruce Cassidy, and
Jim Montgomery, Sacco in June was elevated to the role of associate coach.
Long ago the pride of Medford High hockey, Sacco, 55, will have a greater opportunity to help Montgomery manage the bench, try to spot trends as the game unfolds at its standard NHL ‘25 warp speed.
“Not a lot will change with my role, really,” said Sacco during a recent phone conversation with the Globe, noting that
Jay Leach, recently hired as an assistant, will assume some of the duties he oversaw with the blueliners. “But this should give me the chance for Jim and I to talk more … about things I’m seeing, and vice versa, during games. I don’t have to be as focused on matchups as much as Jim is, and Jay will be watching more over the defensive aspects of our game.”
General manager
Don Sweeney came to Sacco with the idea of taking on the associate’s role soon after the playoffs ended, leaving the ex-BU forward saying he was “flattered and honored” over the promotion.
Montgomery said last month, while in Vegas for the NHL entry draft, that he was happy Sacco had been rewarded with the new gig, calling it formal recognition of Sacco’s overall input and for the good relationship the two have shared during Montgomery’s two years on the job.
“Joe’s really kind of been in that role since I started. We see the game a lot in the same way,” said Montgomery. “Great move.”
The playoffs this spring showed the Bruins in need of a behind-the-bench booster shot. In three of their 13 postseason games, two vs. Toronto and one vs. the Panthers, they were painfully slow in generating shots on net. More urgency was needed from puck drop.
By the end of Round 2, which ended with a Game 6 loss (2-1) to the Panthers, the Bruins established an ignominious playoff record, whistled seven times for too many men on the ice. Players and coaches shared in the failed math. A new title for Sacco alone won’t fix the accounting, but in tandem with Leach as presumably a fourth set of eyes behind the bench, it should help prevent some of the annoying “too many” faux pas.
Sacco will enter the season tied with Carolina’s
Jeff Daniels with 10 years as an assistant with their respective clubs, the most among active NHL coaches. Sacco, who started here with Julien in 2014-15, is the lone current coach to serve 10 years consecutively with the same team as an assistant or associate. Daniels had nearly a 10-year break in service with the Hurricanes.
Bob Essensa (a.k.a. Goalie Bob) has been on the Black and Gold’s coaching staff the last 17 seasons. Per the NHL stats department, he is not considered in the assistant/associate group because he has been specifically a goaltending coach.
Across the 100-plus years of league history, according to the NHL stats department, only 11 coaches have served the same club for more than 10 consecutive seasons in the assistant/associate role. The leader of the pack:
Benoit Allaire, who served the last 19 years as a Ranger assistant (focused mainly on netminding) before announcing early this offseason that he’ll move to a reduced, advisory role in 2024-25. Minnesota assistant
Darby Hendrickson, tied for the No. 2 spot with 14 consecutive seasons, was dismissed this spring by the Wild.
When informed by the Globe about his standing on the NHL longevity chart, Sacco was somewhat surprised.
“That’s special to me,” he noted. “Would have never known that.”
What has kept him going, said Sacco, in large part has been liking the work itself and working for a Bruins team that has been consistently in the chase for the Cup, including the 2019 run that fell one win short in the Final vs. St. Louis. Julien, Cassidy, and Montgomery all have imparted knowledge that has helped him become better at his job, he said.