Don Sweeney and the Bruins have a lot to tackle this offseason. The top priority is to determine who will coach a revamped roster for the 2025-26 season and beyond.
The Bruins have a wealth of options, particularly experienced candidates who have served as NHL head coaches.
Despite the departure of names like Mike Sullivan, several seasoned coaches remain available, including Rick Tocchet, Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella, Jay Woodcroft, and David Quinn.
Given their urgent need for a turnaround, the Bruins might be drawn to a coach known for achieving quick results, such as Gallant or Laviolette.
However, it could also be argued that the team’s potential could be maximized by bringing in a new voice to lead them.
“Communication with players today is crucial,” Sweeney stated on April 23. “Having a structured, detailed, and organized approach is essential. I’m looking for a coach who can evolve offensively, which is particularly important for connecting with younger players and navigating their stubbornness or inexperience.”
“We experienced some of this this year, where players fell short of their potential and struggled to recover… We need to rekindle internal competitiveness, and the coach must play a key role in that. We will address these issues during our coaching search and maintain our high expectations.”
While there is a degree of risk in considering candidates lacking NHL head coaching experience, the Bruins could see significant benefits if they emulate the Capitals and find a composed young coach like Spencer Carbery.
Here are eight potential candidates for the Bruins who haven’t served as full-time NHL head coaches:
Misha Donskov
There’s a lot of buzz around Donskov due to his impressive success at nearly every level. Sweeney’s remarks last week about some candidates still in the Stanley Cup playoffs suggest that Donskov, an assistant on Peter DeBoer’s staff with the Stars, is in the running.
Though some Bruins fans may see Donskov as an outsider, there is a connection to the team.
During the 4 Nations Face-Off, Donskov was the only NHL assistant on Team Canada’s coaching staff, with Sweeney serving as the team’s general manager.
Donskov has received high praise for his skills in scouting, player development, analytics, and video analysis. “Coaches are always searching for an edge, and he excels at identifying it,” said Stars GM Jim Nill to NHL.com. “He plays a crucial role in organizing information, filtering through the influx of data to highlight what really matters.”
Before spending two seasons with Dallas, Donskov worked for the Golden Knights for seven years in various roles. After serving as the director of hockey operations during Vegas’s first three seasons (2016-19), he transitioned to coaching as an assistant and capped his time there by winning the Stanley Cup on Bruce Cassidy’s staff in 2023.
“I was fortunate to have a background in coaching and development, and when analytics began to grow in importance, I found myself in the middle of it,” Donskov shared with NHL.com. “It’s just one aspect of the larger picture, but I believe it’s a valuable tool. Numbers are purely factual and not emotional, so it’s up to you to utilize them effectively, like a club in your golf bag. This journey has been crucial in getting me to where I am today.”
Mitch Love
Love, an assistant on Carbery’s staff in Washington, was known for his tough playing style, accumulating 808 penalty minutes over 278 games in the AHL. At 40 years old, he has built an impressive coaching resume, primarily working with the Capitals’ defensemen for the last two seasons. Before that, he served as head coach of the AHL’s Calgary Flames affiliate from 2021 to 2023.
Marco Sturm
Sturm, who played 302 games for the Bruins, appears to meet many qualifications for the role. He has spent the past three seasons coaching the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, where he achieved a record of 119-80-17, aiding top prospects like Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke in their development into impactful players.
Sturm, hailing from Germany, coached the national team from 2015 to 2018, earning a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Before leading the Ontario Reign, he was an assistant with the Kings from 2018 to 2022.
“He’s not a name that tops many lists, but he’s ambitious, understands players well, and commands respect,” said Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Marc Savard
Another former Bruin, Savard was known for his exceptional playmaking from 2006 to 2011 until a series of concussions cut his 13-year career short. After winning consecutive Western Conference regular-season titles while coaching the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires from 2021 to 2023, he has spent the past two years as an assistant coach with the Flames and the Maple Leafs. It’s no surprise that Savard has focused on managing the power play in the NHL, with Toronto currently ranking ninth at 24.8 percent this season.
Jay Leach
Leach, 45, had a four-year tenure as head coach of the Providence Bruins before joining the Kraken as an assistant on Dave Hakstol’s staff in July 2021. Following Hakstol’s departure in April 2024, he was not retained and returned to the Bruins as an assistant under Jim Montgomery (and later Joe Sacco). In the 2024-25 season, Leach primarily focused on overseeing the defense.
Sweeney commented, “They’re strong candidates and will be in the candidate pool,” referring to Leach and Sacco.
Ryan Mougenel
Another potential in-house candidate, Mougenel has been a part of the Providence organization since the 2018-19 season, serving as head coach for the past four years.
During his four seasons, Mougenel compiled a record of 163-87-24-14, playing a key role in the development of prospects like Mason Lohrei and Matt Poitras.
Todd Nelson
Nelson acted as the interim head coach for the Oilers for 51 games in the 2014-15 season but hasn’t had the opportunity to take on a full-time NHL head coaching position since then. He has built a solid reputation in the AHL, winning the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2016-17 and securing consecutive championships with the Hershey Bears (the Capitals’ affiliate) in 2023 and 2024.
Jay Pandolfo
Pandolfo, 50, served as an assistant coach with the Bruins for five seasons before returning to his alma mater, Boston University. In his three seasons as head coach of the Terriers, he has guided the team to three consecutive Frozen Fours, including an appearance in the national championship game this spring. A native of Winchester and a two-time Stanley Cup champion, he has worked alongside experienced coaches like Claude Julien and Bruce Cassidy.
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