The Boston Bruins have fallen on hard times and it looks as if there will be a lengthy rebuild. Aside from star winger David Pastrnak, the Bruins will be fighting for offensive contributions next season. The truth is, the Bruins may look a lot different than what they are used to.
Despite not having much cap space for the 2025-26 season, they need to find a way to put a competitive team on the ice. Could that also mean a new head coach?
Bruins' Sacco remains the head coach
Bruins head coach Joe Sacco has expereince behind the bench. Before coming to Boston, he coached the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-10 through the 2012-13 season. He has had assistant coaching experience but nothing with the title of head coach since his Avalanche days until now.
He went through a tough spell this season as the Bruins bench boss as the Bruins went downhill fast. The Bruins then traded forwards Justin Brazzeau (Minnesota Wild), captain Brad Marchand (Florida Panthers), and defenseman Brandon Carlo (Toronto Maple Leafs), leaving the Boston faithful wondering what was going on.
Sacco came to the Bruins on July 24, 2014 as an assistant coach. He remained there until former head coach Jim Montgomery was fired on November 14, 2024, and he was named interm coach, only to be given the head coach title on the same day.
Sacco was only coaching what he had been given. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney gutted this team on the 2025 trade deadline and the team had to fight tooth and nail to scrap wins together. Sacco's time in Boston was not what he expected and he went on to a 25-30-7 record with the Bruins this season, finishing in eighth place in the Atlantic Division.
What comes next for Bruins, Sacco?
With the house cleaning the Bruins did with the roster, is Sacco next? Three head coaches, John Tortorella (Philadelphia Flyers), Peter Laviolette (New York Rangers), and Greg Cronin (Anaheim Ducks) were fired within the past month and they are available for hire. Will the Bruins continue to put new faces in the organization and hire one of these former coaches to lead the Bruins next season?
There will be new faces on the roster next season as the roster shuffling continues but what about the coaching staff? Will they be brought back? Will the Bruins retain some of them? The offseason in Boston could be a must see.