The Search for a Head Coach

[cshea]

This is probably worth it's own thread. Sweeney confirmed they will be conducting a full search for a new head coach.

Some initial talking points:

• The candidate doesn't have to have prior NHL head coaching experience but they do want someone with some form of NHL exposure (this would seemingly rule out Carle)
• Looking for an HC that will evolve offensively and can communicate with younger players

 

[TFP]

Is it wrong for me to hope Tampa gets swept, fires Cooper, and the Bruins dive right in and scoop him up?

 

[cshea]

My first thought is Jay Pandolfo checks the boxes. NHL exposure as a player and an assistant coach with the Bruins. He's been BU's head coach for the last 3 years, been to the Frozen Four the past 2 years. I don't follow BU much so I can't comment on his system but there's some tangible success and he's also had experience working with younger players.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Big Z was at Providence practice . . .

 

[ColdSoxPack]

My first thought is Jay Pandolfo checks the boxes. NHL exposure as a player and an assistant coach with the Bruins. He's been BU's head coach for the last 3 years, been to the Frozen Four the past 2 years. I don't follow BU much so I can't comment on his system but there's some tangible success and he's also had experience working with younger players.

Jay should be the front runner if he is interested.

 

[astrozombie]

If I am a prospective coach, I guess I want some clarity on the Bs plan. Is it to draft and go through a rebuild that will take a few years? Are they looking to actually offload Swayman? Is it to start trading draft capital for contributors now? Is the expectation that when McAvoy and Lindholm come back next year that the Bs are in the playoffs? Is the FO going to go all-in for someone like Marner this summer? The Bs are in a bit of purgatory and a lot of the expectations depend on what the FO plans to do. I am not sure that running the team back exactly as it is with no injuries is a Stanley Cup contender and the FO would be best suited to pick a lane (e.g. rebuild or reload); the next coach should be aligned with that plan.

 

[jsinger121]

It’s going to take a big offer to get Pandolfo away from BU in my opinion. His son just got accepted to the NTDP and you figure he is primed to play at BU for his father.

 

[Diamond Don Aase]

It’s going to take a big offer to get Pandolfo away from BU in my opinion. His son just got accepted to the NTDP and you figure he is primed to play at BU for his father.

Pandolfo spent much of a decade in the Bruins’ organization, first at the end of his playing career and then coaching, largely alongside Bruce Cassidy in both Providence and Boston. He also began his BU playing career on a team captained by Dave Sacco, Joe’s brother.

I doubt that Pandolfo would refuse an interview (there are only so many NHL head coaching jobs), but he has more cause than most for wariness at becoming Teflon Don’s next fall guy.

 

[The Napkin]

I wouldn't mind going with someone without any ties to the organization

 

[lexrageorge]

Wasted effort. Coaching wasn't the problem this past season. Random retreads are unlikely to be markedly better than Sacco. And many are likely to be much worse.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Wasted effort. Coaching wasn't the problem this past season. Random retreads are unlikely to be markedly better than Sacco. And many are likely to be much worse.

Would love more detail here. What about Sacco makes you think that he's a good NHL coach? To my eye, he's a pretty meh coach with no real system. The only positive I saw was how hard Pasta played while the Titanic was sinking (cue the video of the band from the movie).

I think they need to start fresh and remove the stink of this season, which means Sacco needs to go.

 

[burstnbloom]

It’s going to take a big offer to get Pandolfo away from BU in my opinion. His son just got accepted to the NTDP and you figure he is primed to play at BU for his father.

Rumors that his 2 linemates (Meyer and Sears) are going to go to BU as well and will commit when appropriate. I see no chance Pandolfo leaves before that opportunity. He's young and has a great job and still has unfinished business at BU.

 

[cshea]

The names from their last search that could resurface

• David Quinn - Supposedly was a finalist with Monty. Ended up with the Sharks, was fired after 2 years. Spent this season as an assistant with Pittsburgh. Hard to judge his Sharks tenure given the state of the roster he was working with.
• Jay Leach - Currently an assistant here in Boston. Head Coach for Providence for 4 years from 2017-2021. Reportedly a finalist for the Bruins job in 2022. Ended up leaving and joining Dave Hakstol's staff in Seattle, then came back here prior to this season.
• Mike Vellucci - Another finalist in 2022. Not a huge track record of coaching at the professional level. Coached Charlotte and Wilkes-Barre in the AHL for a few years. Has been an assisant under Mike Sullivan in Pittsburgh since 2020.
• Jeff Halpern - Interviewed in 2022 as well. No head coaching experience, has been on Jon Cooper's bench in Tampa since 2018.

The buzzy names that'll probably surface:

• Jay Pandolfo - Discussed above. History with the organization, currently HC at BU.
• David Carle - This is the guy that is prompting every NHL team with a coaching vacancy to answer if they'll hire an head coach who doesn't have NHL experience. He's young, 35-years old. Has been coaching Denver University for 7 years. Won two national titles. Also has won back-to-back WJC gold medals as the head coach for Team USA.

The had ass retreads they may bring in and talk to that we'll all be mad about

• John Tortorella - Recently dismissed by the Flyers.
• Peter Laviolette - Recently dismissed by the Rangers.

 

[Salem's Lot]

Big Z was at Providence practice . . .

If I were to wager on it, I would bet that they are grooming him for a front office role, not a coaching one.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

If I were to wager on it, I would bet that they are grooming him for a front office role, not a coaching one.

You know that if it's to replace an existing member that I am all in favor of it.

 

[Salem's Lot]

You know that if it's to replace an existing member that I am all in favor of it.

Cam is turning 60 in June.

 

[Dim13]

Mike Sullivan and the Pens have mutually parted ways.

 

[NYCSox]

Mike Sullivan and the Pens have mutually parted ways.

I'm in for that. Maybe this time without undercutting him by trading away Pasta for a second liner, a fourth liner and a second pairing defenseman.

 

[ColdSoxPack]

Let the speculation begin! He did win 2 Stanley Cups.

 

[jsinger121]

He’s also the father in law of Charlie McAvoy. Interested to see how that dynamic would work even though we saw a glimpse of it during the four nations tournament.

 

[wiffleballhero]

Yeah, bring it on. I'd take Sullivan in a heartbeat.

 

[ColdSoxPack]

The media say Sullivan will be pursued heavily by the Rangers who have many issues on the ice, in the front office, and ownership. It would seem the Bruins would have an edge as Sullivan would be coming home and seeing his daughter and grandson regularly. I don't mind him as a coach.

 

[NYCSox]

The media say Sullivan will be pursued heavily by the Rangers who have many issues on the ice, in the front office, and ownership. It would seem the Bruins would have an edge as Sullivan would be coming home and seeing his daughter and grandson regularly. I don't mind him as a coach.

Hard to find two bigger incompetent morons than Dolan and Drury.

 

[NextBigThing8184]

[*]Looking for an HC that will evolve offensively and can communicate with younger players

Seems to be incongruent with Neely/Sweeney’s roster building philosophy.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Another local college coach they should consider reaching out to is Greg Carvel at UMass. He's turned that program into a regional (if not national) power, with 5 NCAA appearances in the last six years and some continued good recruiting. He's proven to be able to develop young players and has 14 years of professional experience, including 8 as an NHL assistant.

Now, I hope he stays in Amherst for the next 20 years, and I think he's pretty happy there, but he's a guy I'd at least pick up the phone and call.

 

[The Napkin]

you can take David Carle off the list

View: https://twitter.com/DU_Hockey/status/1919479023136125427

 

[cshea]

Sweeney update on the coaching search from last night:

View: https://twitter.com/smclaughlin9/status/1919539911914385519


Nothing earth shattering. They have talked to a few candidates already, waiting on a few that are still coaching in the playoffs. They'll do some more Zooms, then in person interviews for the finalists.

Ty Anderson was floating Misha Donskov as one of the candidates still coaching. He's currently an assistant with Dallas. His NHL experience is he was the director of hockey operations for Vegas for their first 3 seasons. He was part of the hockey operations group that conducted the expansion draft and built an instant winner. He then moved behind the bench as an assistant for 4 years. He left Vegas and has been an assistant for Dallas the past 2 seasons. He has OHL and International head coaching/hockey operations experience as well.

I don't know much about him but I do find it interesting that he has both a hockey ops and coaching background.

 

[Dim13]

I heard one of the radio talking heads over the weekend float the name of Marc Savard. He's still coaching. Has head coaching experience with Windsor of the OHL and has been an assistant on three NHL teams.

 

[cshea]

Savard is currently an assistant with the Maple Leafs. I think he broke into the NHL under Berube in St. Louis then followed him to Toronto.

FWIW, Ty Anderson doesn't think Savard is on their radar. Ty says that Savard campaigned the Bruins for any coaching job a few years ago but the Bruins weren't interested.

View: https://twitter.com/_TyAnderson/status/1919544323726585959

 

[LogansDad]

I heard one of the radio talking heads over the weekend float the name of Marc Savard. He's still coaching. Has head coaching experience with Windsor of the OHL and has been an assistant on three NHL teams.

I did not know he was coaching. This makes me very happy, even though it sound like the Bruins gig is a long shot.

 

[amfox1]

Joel Quenneville to ANA, not that he was in the mix in BOS.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

And the Anaheim and Chicago fans have poured out of the woodwork to revise history or suddenly support forgiveness for crimes?

 

[kenneycb]

Per Quenneville's daughter a couple years ago, they spoke and Beach apparently forgave him.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Per Quenneville's daughter a couple years ago, they spoke and Beach apparently forgave him.

I had heard something to that degree…it’s tough. It’s possible that my distaste for some of the darker sides of hockey culture has caused me to be too unforgiving to people involved in those situations, maybe everyone is entitled to a second chance. I just don’t want anything to do with him.

 

[astrozombie]

Per Quenneville's daughter a couple years ago, they spoke and Beach apparently forgave him.

This is a me thing, but assuming this happened (the source is only the daughter and it wasn't forgiveness - it was a "blessing" to return to coaching) I am still a bit leery. Victims apologize for things all the time because they want it to be behind them, there's a power imbalance, whatever. Maybe Beach really did forgive him. Maybe Beach doesn't hold Quenneville as accountable as others do. Maybe Beach doesn't want everyone coming to ask his opinion so he told Quenneville it was okay to coach again and wants to defer all inquiries to him. I don't know. But my point is that Beach's being okay with this is not some kind of blanket exoneration.
Anaheim is willing to take that chance. I am glad the Bruins are not.
https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/report-kyle-beach-gives-his-blessing-for-joel-quenneville-to-return-to-the-nhl

 

[TSC]

View: https://twitter.com/thefourthperiod/status/1920924334769508627?s=46

 

[Haunted]

I have no idea whether Marco Sturm would be a good coach but the risk might be worth it if we get more Sturm Face.

 

[cshea]

Sturm has a lot of experience. He got started with the German national team, coaching a bunch of World Championships. His signature was taking Germany to the gold medal game in the 2018 Olympics (no NHL players), beating Canada in the semi's before losing to Russia in the final. He's been with the LA Kings organization since 2017, first as an assistant in LA before transitioning to HC for the Ontario Reign, their AHL team, in 2022. On a results front, the Reign have been in the playoffs every year he's been behind the bench.

Don't know a ton about his style but he is certainly qualified.

 

[TSC]

View: https://twitter.com/nsimmz/status/1922644067244007681?s=46

 

[cshea]

Brutal.

Edit: Referring more to Tocchet than Woodcroft. I posted about it in the NHL News thread but Tocchet has 2 playoff appearances in 9 NHL seasons. The rush to hire him boggles the mind. Also, FWIW, Friedman was hyping Sturm as a leading candidate for Boston on 32T today. I'd much prefer Sturm to Woodcroft or Tocchet. Donskov is still my leading choice.

 

[The Napkin]

once a coach always a coach

 

[kenneycb]

Brutal.

Edit: Referring more to Tocchet than Woodcroft. I posted about it in the NHL News thread but Tocchet has 2 playoff appearances in 9 NHL seasons. The rush to hire him boggles the mind. Also, FWIW, Friedman was hyping Sturm as a leading candidate for Boston on 32T today. I'd much prefer Sturm to Woodcroft or Tocchet. Donskov is still my leading choice.

He's also gone into very weird / shitty situations. Tampa was 15 years ago so not putting a ton of weight on that. The Coyotes had a brutal roster and ownership uncertainty. He did really well in Vancouver the first 1.5 years in Vancouver after taking over Boudreau midseason, won the Jack Adams the next and made the playoffs the next year and had the Petterson / Miller situation last year. I didn't follow it closely enough to know how much is on him but there's a story there. I don't know anything about these coaches and don't have much of an opinion on their systems, how they work with young players, etc. but using the 2 playoffs in 9 years as the basis feels overly surface level and somewhat disingenuous as you're punishing him at least one year for taking over midyear.

 

[TSC]

View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1922676635502870597?s=46


bullet dodged?

 

[cshea]

He's also gone into very weird / shitty situations. Tampa was 15 years ago so not putting a ton of weight on that. The Coyotes had a brutal roster and ownership uncertainty. He did really well in Vancouver the first 1.5 years in Vancouver after taking over Boudreau midseason, won the Jack Adams the next and made the playoffs the next year and had the Petterson / Miller situation last year. I didn't follow it closely enough to know how much is on him but there's a story there. I don't know anything about these coaches and don't have much of an opinion on their systems, how they work with young players, etc. but using the 2 playoffs in 9 years as the basis feels overly surface level and somewhat disingenuous as you're punishing him at least one year for taking over midyear.

Pointing to the situation is fair but at some point the results have to factor in. The goal is to win hockey games and he hasn't been very good at it. Sure, there are valid reasons why he hasn't won more but I'm just not sure, front the outside, what Tocchet brings to the table that makes him a highly sought after coach. At least the other retreads like Laviolette teams can say they've won Cups.

I'm not sure what to make of his time in Vancouver. He took over for Boudreau and had a nice run. Last year they were a good team but also reached the heights they did off of the leagues highest PDO. This year their PDO stabilized and they were meh. The lockeroom shenanigans with Miller/Pettersson...not sure how much that impacted things and what sort of role Tocchet played in it. He obviously couldn't sort it out.

I dunno. I'd rather take a flier on Donskov or Sturm unknown than bring in some run of the mill veteran bench boss who has coached 5 teams in 15 years. Maybe you fall into the next Cooper rather than starting to see who you want to hire in 2028.

 

[astrozombie]

A few thoughts on the coach search:
1. Re-treads are popular because they have "been there" even if "there" wasn't especially good and that makes them safe choices for GMs. If a GM hires a retread and they are good, job well done. If they are bad, the GM can say "well, they had a track record, something must have happened or they coudn't do the job we thought they could". If a GM hires a newbie and they are good, job well done. If they hire a newbie and that coach is bad, people will question what the GM was thinking and what he erroneously saw in them. So really.... going with a re-tread is almost always the safer bet and means job security.
2. NHL coaching is a lot closer to MLB than NFL or even NBA. The primary job is motivating and managing personalities. Systems are not dramatically different and setting lineups isn't extremely difficult. They aren't yelling out plays. If players like them, they will play hard for them. That's like 80% of it.
3. Glad the Bruins look like they are "missing out" on Tocchet. Personally, I think his resume shows he has trouble connecting with players, but I am not a GM. I would give Sturm a shot, or even keep Sacco.

 

[Salem's Lot]

View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1922676635502870597?s=46


bullet dodged?

I still think linking him to the Bruins was always the agent trying to leverage the Flyers. If there’s one thing that this front office has shown, it’s that they don’t leak information regularly.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Well the latest on X is that Tocchet will be getting 5/25 from the Flyers, so if that was his agent's goal, it certainly worked.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Sturm has a lot of experience. He got started with the German national team, coaching a bunch of World Championships. His signature was taking Germany to the gold medal game in the 2018 Olympics (no NHL players), beating Canada in the semi's before losing to Russia in the final. He's been with the LA Kings organization since 2017, first as an assistant in LA before transitioning to HC for the Ontario Reign, their AHL team, in 2022. On a results front, the Reign have been in the playoffs every year he's been behind the bench.

Don't know a ton about his style but he is certainly qualified.

I'd take Sturm in a cocaine heartbeat given this resume. And as others have mentioned, Sturm face.

 

[cshea]

Yeah Sturm is on my list. He may be considered a legacy Bruin hire but he's been away from the organization for 15 years. Seems like he's gotten good results in the AHL.

Kinda cross posting from the NHL New thread but Misha Donskov is my preferred choice. He's a bit of a man of mystery, doesn't even have his own wiki page. Has worked just about everywhere within hockey operations for successful franchises. Player development, front office, analytics, video coach, assistant coach. The only thing he hasn't done is be a head coach at the professional level (he coached a Canada U-17 team), which obviously is a risk. He's currently with Dallas so it's going to be a while before they can talk to him. Hopefully they don't get impatient. I'm not sure what the NHL rules are on speaking to candidates still in the playoffs. The Penguins search has been very quiet, Donskov feels like a Dubas/FSG guy so the Bruins might have competition.

I'm also starting come around a bit more on Woodcroft. He was 76-32-12 in Edmonton with 3 playoff series wins before being panic fired 13 games into his 2nd full season because his goalies couldn't stop a beach ball. Apparently he's spent his year off traveling around and visiting other teams to learn more about the game and coaching. I'll have to dig a bit more into his Edmonton time but I think of of the retreads, if you can call him that, he'd be at the top of my list.