Jay Leach named assistant coach

[ON3M4N]

wonder if Leach was considered for the coaching gig in Seattle? Seems odd, appears he is well respected but just can`t get the NHL HC gigs? I`m not knocking his return, just wondering out loud, thx for any insight anyone may have

Sounds like he was

In fact, Leach was invited to interview for several head coaching opportunities elsewhere while with the Kraken. And prior to Bylsma being hired to replace recently dismissed head coach Dave Hakstol, general manager Ron Francis interviewed Leach for that vacancy as well.

“Yeah, I did interview him,” Francis said Wednesday. “He did a good job for us.”

Francis also confirmed Leach interviewed for two head coaching positions the past two offseasons — reported to have been with the Bruins before Montgomery’s hiring in 2022 and the New York Rangers last year before Peter Laviolette being chosen. “There were at least two (interview invites) he chose not to do,” Francis added.

 

[Riverfront]

Leach was an excellent hire !

 

[DominicT]

Kelly is back with the Bruins. He also had a gig in Ottawa and two weeks after taking the role he left and came to Boston.


I don't think Sacco wants to be a head coach. He could have easily gotten the job with another team over the years and hasn't.

Sacco has interviewed for head coaching jobs.

 

[Alicat]

Sacco coached Colorado before coming here

I am aware. I meant at this stage but Dom replied and said that he has interviewed for jobs.

Either way, the coaching staff is better with Jay in the fold.

Sacco has interviewed for head coaching jobs.

Thanks Dom!

 

[chizzler]

Hopefully he can institute a normal defensive structure. They are lost back there.

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

Not when management isn't happy with the job he's doing. One of the first GM moves prior to firing the coach is messing with his coaching staff. I'm sure the too many men penalties didn't do Monty any favors.

Yep

Cassidy came in under Claude and then he took over……

 

[Brent Burns]

Former SJS whipping boy Jay Leach lol

 

[GordonHowe]

I think from the outside looking in it's hard to say what exact impact each individual coach has. Head coaches have ultimate responsibility and take the majority of both the credit and the blame, but with the assistants it's more difficult to get a proper gauge on each of their merits. Sacco's sole stint as the main man was a long time ago now. Fair to say it didn't set the world on fire though and the fact he's now been settled in an assistant role for multiple years since probably pretty strongly suggests that's his ceiling as a coach. So as far as that goes yeah I probably wouldn't have him high on my list of candidates for the top position and Leach definitely seems to have more potential in that regard.

Agree.

I have nothing against Sacco save the conviction that he is not a head coach. Chiarelli and Montgomery aside, the Bruins have always favored locals, with mixed results.

I like New England talent coming home, but not an old boys club. It's vital to go outside the organization and comfort zone to find fresh, innovative eyes.

Pleased to have Jay Leach back. Assistant coach who will help Sunny Jim and likely prove his successor. The Bruins are instantly better for the hire. Kudos to "Sweenes."

Still don't know what's up with personal favorite Chris Kelly.

Kelly is back with the Bruins. He also had a gig in Ottawa and two weeks after taking the role he left and came to Boston.


I don't think Sacco wants to be a head coach. He could have easily gotten the job with another team over the years and hasn't.

From your lips to God's ears on both counts.

 

[DKH]

Huge fan of this

One of my good friends is full timer and involves day to day told me many times he’s well respected, bright, charismatic and going to be a very good nhl head coach

congrats Jay and to the Bruins I’m very surprised but pretty happy about this

 

[LouJersey]

I still don't understand why this organization keeps telling Savvy they dont want him.

Embarrassing on all fronts

Probably remember him blaming Sobotka for the two many men vs Philly.

 

[DKH]

Probably remember him blaming Sobotka for the two many men vs Philly.

Yeh that didn’t end well that night

 

[Bodit9]

Congrats Jay! Found this old pic. This is from '93 or '94.

 

[LouJersey]

@DKH and I are big fans of the Kraken defenders, and you can see Leach really molded them into a very good unit, it's just that they had pretty suspect goaltending. This is a very underrated hire and don't be shocked when many of these guys hit another level this season.

 

[DKH]

@DKH and I are big fans of the Kraken defenders, and you can see Leach really molded them into a very good unit, it's just that they had pretty suspect goaltending. This is a very underrated hire and don't be shocked when many of these guys hit another level this season.

I think he’s the next coach- Monty seems to be a lone wolf guy anyways

Sacco & Kelly definitely probably are good at what they are

Leach is imo a rising star

 

[ON3M4N]

@DKH and I are big fans of the Kraken defenders, and you can see Leach really molded them into a very good unit, it's just that they had pretty suspect goaltending. This is a very underrated hire and don't be shocked when many of these guys hit another level this season.

The bolded is where I'm at. You know what you have (for the most part) in guys like McAvoy, Carlo & Lindholm. I'm interested to see if Jay can help Lindholm get back to last years version where he had 53pts and finished 4th in the Norris voting.

The cluster that I think he could have the biggest impact with though are the guys like Lohrei & Peeke. I hate to get ahead of myself, but Lohrei seems like that piece that can help drive this team to another level from the backend if he puts it all together. He's like a combination of Brandon Carlo & Torey Krug.