Bruins provide latest update on coaching search

The Bruins are not going to outright announce who they are interviewing for their head coaching vacancy. Or even when they're going to interview those unnamed candidates. Sadly, the NHL is not the NFL when it comes to transparency from an interview process standpoint.

But Monday night's post-lottery drawing media availability did come with some breadcrumbs dropped by Bruins general manager Don Sweeney as it relates to the ongoing search by the Black and Gold front office.

"Ongoing," Sweeney, who is conducting his second true head coaching search since taking over as Boston's general manager in 2015, said when asked for an update on the coaching search. "Have spoken to some coaches. Haven't done any in person interviews yet, but we've narrowed a list down, and we're going to move forward with some Zoom interviews, and then in person interviews, in a very short manner.” 

As for the who, Sweeney kept that close to the vest, but did note that some of the Bruins' top candidates were still coaching in the playoffs.

Assuming that Sweeney was talking about the NHL playoffs, one has to imagine that Stars assistant coach Misha Donskov is potentially at the top of the B's wishlist given his resume.

In addition to his work on the Stars, who extended their season with a Game 7 comeback against Colorado last weekend, Donskov served as an assistant coach on the Team Canada team that Sweeney built for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament earlier this season. That alone is notable in the sense that Donskov was the only NHL assistant coach to be included on the staff, with the other assistant roles filled by head coaches. Donskov was also part of the Vegas coaching staff that won a Stanley Cup in 2023, and has an extensive background in scouting, development, and player personnel with Canada Hockey and the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League.

In addition to Donskov, Washington's Mitch Love could be an interesting option for Sweeney. Love, in his second season on Spencer Carbury's Capitals staff, does have head coaching experience at the pro level, with a 96-33-11 record as the head coach of Calgary's AHL affiliate before jumping to the pro game as an assistant in 2023-24.

But Sweeney also noted that both Joe Sacco and Jay Leach will be given interviews for Boston's head coaching gig. That nugget was revealed when Sweeney was discussing any other potential moves on the staff, such as moving on from an assistant or two.

"It's still in a holding pattern," Sweeney said when asked about the other members of Boston's coaching ataff. "Joe [Sacco] would be part of the search. Jay Leach will be part of the search. So again, when I reference that we'll have a new head coach, it could easily be one of them."

Sacco served as Boston's interim head coach over the final 62 games of the 2024-25 season, and posted a 25-30-7 record behind the bench. The Bruins have praised Sacco for essentially coaching two different versions of the B's in 2024-25, and have made it clear that they view him as a legit candidate. And listen, I get that it's easy to roll your eyes at that, but more than just smoke, according to multiple sources, with Sacco said to have some strong backers in the organization.

Leach, meanwhile, just wrapped up his first season on Boston's staff after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant in Seattle. Prior to his move to Seattle, Leach had a five-season run with AHL Providence, including four as the head coach. The 45-year-old Leach ran Boston's defense during the 2024-25 season.

"You know, they're strong candidates, and they'll be in the candidate pool," Sweeney said of Leach and Sacco. "And along with some other really good, experienced level coaches and different levels, we're going to find the right guy.”