Does Joe Sacco Deserve to be Officially the HC of the Bruins in 2025 2026

[GordonHowe]

The late Red Fisher wrote about Sinden blocking it often. He was finally inducted four years after his death in 2010.

https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2014/6/23/5835752/pat-burns-gets-in-the-hall

I am well aware of the timeline.

I am also well aware that Harry Sinden was a next generation iteration of Jack Adams, for good and ill.

If you can elaborate as to Sinden's hostility toward Burns, I would like to understand.

If not, no problem.

 

[Fenway]

I am well aware of the timeline.

I am also well aware that Harry Sinden was a next generation iteration of Jack Adams, for good and ill.

If you can elaborate as to Sinden's hostility toward Burns, I would like to understand.

If not, no problem.

@GordonHowe Harry has never said why.

Harry holds grudges - Ask Cheevers and Park. Maybe Harry got a speeding ticket from him.....

Red Fisher would nag Harry in print anytime he knew Sinden was in Montreal, but he would not budge.

I spent an afternoon working on a video shoot at Burns' home in 2009. One of his neighbors was Bill Lee. Burns lived in Quebec, but the only way to drive to his home was in Vermont.

 

[GordonHowe]

I

@GordonHowe Harry has never said why.

Harry holds grudges - Ask Cheevers and Park. Maybe Harry got a speeding ticket from him.....

Red Fisher would nag Harry in print anytime he knew Sinden was in Montreal, but he would not budge.

I spent an afternoon working on a video shoot at Burns' home in 2009. One of his neighbors was Bill Lee. Burns lived in Quebec, but the only way to drive to his home was in Vermont.

Guess I'll add this to the list, legion as it is, of petty Harry stories.

As if more were needed to prove the point.

At one time a great hockey mind.

That had its last gasp in 1990.

I can't say I'll be sorry when he's gone.

 

[Fenway]

I

Guess I'll add this to the list, legion as it is, of petty Harry stories.

As if more were needed to prove the point.

At one time a great hockey mind.

That had its last gasp in 1990.

I can't say I'll be sorry when he's gone.

 

[DKH]

Hmmm

David Pastrnak v a Bruins fan

BWAHAHAHAH

 

[Ozzy Osbourne]

The only way I want Sacco back is if Mike Sullivan is made available by Pittsburgh. Sullivan loves his teams to play as soft as he did. He hates hitting, fighting and overall physical play. Again, like himself.
Also, I think Country Club Charlie would be worse with his father-in-law behind the bench. I would like to see Torts behind the Bruins bench. I have no need for a “players coach” and I really don’t care if the players like the coach or not. We need results, not more coddling.

 

[BruinDust]

Another reason I don't want Joe Sacco back. I do not like how he handles his goaltenders.

 

[bobbyorr04]

Does Joe Sacco Deserve to be Officially the HC of the Bruins in 2025 2026??​

No

..the only coach I want back next season is goalie Bob

 

[nasero]

Exactly as other said. Keep Bob, clear out the rest. It's time for some fresh blood in all parts of the coaching team.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The only way I want Sacco back is if Mike Sullivan is made available by Pittsburgh. Sullivan loves his teams to play as soft as he did. He hates hitting, fighting and overall physical play. Again, like himself.
Also, I think Country Club Charlie would be worse with his father-in-law behind the bench. I would like to see Torts behind the Bruins bench. I have no need for a “players coach” and I really don’t care if the players like the coach or not. We need results, not more coddling.

What a bad take on Sullivan.

 

[Clode]

No. Sacco has been here for 10 years, time for a new voice.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

What a bad take on Sullivan.

It is.

 

[BruinDust]

Bruins may of just played one of their worst periods of hockey in the salary cap era, 0 shots on net, and Sacco didn't make a single change to his lines and pairings going into the next period. He doesn't even seem to be mad about it.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Bruins may of just played one of their worst periods of hockey in the salary cap era, 0 shots on net, and Sacco didn't make a single change to his lines and pairings going into the next period. He doesn't even seem to be mad about it.

Yeah but ya gotta admit…

He’s pretty good.

 

[Blitzkrug]

My answer before tonight was still no.

After tonight?

 

[22Brad Park]

Bruins may of just played one of their worst periods of hockey in the salary cap era, 0 shots on net, and Sacco didn't make a single change to his lines and pairings going into the next period. He doesn't even seem to be mad about it.

I feeling like puking at the thought of Sweeney getting to pick yet another head coach though.

 

[Shaun]

laughable

 

[CDJ]

Nope

 

[BruinDust]

I feeling like puking at the thought of Sweeney getting to pick yet another head coach though.

IDK Cassidy is a pretty good coach. Vegas plays exactly like his Bruins did. Wear down the opposing team in the offensive zone with puck possession, collapsing zone D in the defensive zone. That's what he preaches and it works and he gets buy-in. Problem is his personality wears on guys eventually.

Montgomery had the best regular season in NHL history. Got hired like a week after Boston fired him. He did some things right. I think he's a superior coach to Sacco.

I feel like it will be Sullivan if he's fired in Pitt. I don't want Sullivan.

 

[22Brad Park]

IDK Cassidy is a pretty good coach. Vegas plays exactly like his Bruins did. Wear down the opposing team in the offensive zone with puck possession, collapsing zone D in the defensive zone. That's what he preaches and it works and he gets buy-in. Problem is his personality wears on guys eventually.

Montgomery had the best regular season in NHL history. Got hired like a week after Boston fired him. He did some things right. I think he's a superior coach to Sacco.

I feel like it will be Sullivan if he's fired in Pitt. I don't want Sullivan.

I would prefer a new GM and let him hire a new coach .Sweeney has burned through that right you ask me.

 

[quietbruinfan]

Lottery, lottery that's exactly where we be. Vive le tank. Vive le tank!

 

[Gordoff]

Maybe they'll bring back Bowness.

NFW. I'm holding out for DON CHERRY Part Deux!

 

[Gordoff]

In my opinion there was little Sacco could do about the offense. The roster just didn't have the weapons. And there was an uptick in scoring under him vs. Monty, where the offensive output was historically bad. They caught a bit of lightning in a bottle with the Geekie-Zacha-Pasta line. If I have one major gripe with their decisions to generate more offense was Elias Lindholm's use on the PP. Him in the bumper just doesn't work, I don't believe it's resulted in a single PP goal. They also leaned into McAvoy too much on the PP, his comment about McAvoy going back on the PP for zone entries. I think it's clear that Mason Lohrei should be given the keys to the PP umbrella.

My main reason for not wanting him back was the defensive play. When I look at a head coach, I wonder can they:

1) Design an effective defensive system that works for the personnel he's given

2) Communicate that defensive system effectively so the players understand what they coaches want them to do.

3) Get buy-in from the players to play the desired system.

Fact is, Sacco and Co. failed to improve the defensive play of this team. Sure, they tweaked it from what Monty had them doing to start the year, went to a more conservative approach, they had to.

But quality offensive teams still picked the Bruins apart far too often even after the coaching change. Lop-sided losses in games the Bruins had no chance in. Lots of late game collapses and lots of goals scored right after the Bruins had scored. To me, his one true task as head coach, get this group playing better defensively, he wasn't successful at. And while didn't have the weapons up front, he had a group that could have been better defensively than what it was. I don't buy they notion he got tossed into some tough situation. A former head coach being asked to coach a group of players he's largely familiar with and has relationships built having coached several players, including the leadership group, for a significant period of time.

I'd like to see them take a look at Todd Nelson. Back-to-back Calder championships with Hershey in 2023 and 2024. Has them on top of their division and 2nd overall in the AHL this year. Felt he got a rawTodd Nelson deal when he took over Edmonton back in 2015. I don't want to see any retreads like Sullivan, Quenville, or Laviolette.

Todd Nelson, Nate Leaman, David Carle in no particular order since I don't know enough about each to warrant an opinion (except that they have some success under their belts). New thoughts, new ideas, NEW, newness, fresh NEW. If that fresh coach fails, meh, just get a rethread. Love that new coach smell.
Okay ummm, I've regained control over myself. But, NEW.
Either way, I'm sorry but Sacco looks like he's completely worn out. Physically, mentally worn out. I feel for the guy. I don't think I'd fire him but he wouldn't be returning behind the bench. Put hi in a cushy job to reward him for his loyalty to the organization.
There must be a job in the organization that he can do if he wants to stay here. Light Neely's cigars etc. He can be like Alan Brady's brother-in-law in the Dick Van Dyke Show. If not he can "explore his opportunities."
Only Goalie's Bob & Mike get to stay.
Not sure what McQuaid's job is but I guess he can stay as a pugilists coach.

 

[Gordoff]

I think it's important to look at this statistically, since this is a results business.

I feel like it's worth comparing to the Bruce Cassidy interim situation. In 2017, under Claude, they had the 20th best PT% in the league (0.527), 22nd in GF/GP, and 13th in GA/GP, with a -6 goal differential over 55 games. Under Cassidy, they had 6th best PT% in the league during his 27 games coached (0.685), 1st in GF/GP, 4th in GA/GP, and +29 goal differential. That's a clear case of massive improvement. In terms of an 82-game pace, we're talking about a 26 point improvement.

Let's compare that to Monty versus Sacco this year. With Monty they were 20th in PT% (0.475), 31st in GF/GP, 28th in GA/GP, with a -21 goal differential over 20 games. With Sacco, they've only been 23rd in PT%, but improved to 0.522, 21st in GF/GP, 18th in GA/GP, with a -6 goal differential over 45 games. That would be an improvement of 8 points on an 82-game pace. Yes, there have been injuries and promotions/demotions, but it's largely been the same group, besides H. Lindholm.

Throwing some other numbers out there, at all strengths, under Monty, they were 31st in GF% (41.03) vs. 9th in xGF% (52.33), while under Sacco, they've been 19th in GF% (48.85) vs. 19th in xGF% (49.84). We can argue whether that's a situation of luck, or whether you'd prefer the higher xGF% situation or having a smaller difference in GF% vs. xGF%.

Yes, there's been improvement, but it's not like that improvement has been anything to get excited over. I don't think we can say Sacco has coached them to perform above their talent level and that's what you look for in a coach. I also have a tough time saying "let's give him a training camp", when we're talking about a guy who's been here since Claude. This was a trade deadline of organizational change, keeping a guy like Sacco at the helm, who's been here 10+ years, would just be a sign of business as usual.

BAU (Business As Usual) are Sweeney's favorite 3 words.
Moe Larry and Curly are his next 3 faves.

 

[Gordoff]

Sacco will lead this new Bruins team to the playoffs

Is he buying them tickets? Will he rent a bus to get them there?