Latest news with #Sturm
Boston Globe
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Glen Murray matches Marco Sturm's passion with enthusiasm for hiring of former Bruins teammate as coach
So began Sturm's quiet and seamless NHL re-entry, in part thanks to the bond he and Murray, proud son of the Canadian Maritimes, forged in their three seasons playing together in Boston. The two forwards (combined career goals: 579) remained in frequent contact in their early retirement years, with Murray well aware of the success Sturm built behind various Team Germany benches in those years leading up to the opening in LA on Todd McLellan's staff. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Sturm's enthusiasm for the coaching craft and determination to win, noted Murray, is '100 percent real,' which was among the many points he made to Don Sweeney when the Bruins GM called a few weeks ago for a critique of Sturm's work across his seven years in the Kings' organization. Advertisement Without hesitation, Murray offered his full endorsement, despite it meaning the Kings ultimately would be left to replace Sturm as bench boss for their AHL affiliate in nearby Ontario, Calif. Advertisement Glen Murray (right) has been very supportive of his former teammate, Marco Sturm, taking over the Bruins. Davis, Jim Globe Staff/The Boston Globe - The Boston Gl 'I told Sweens, 'This guy is passionate about the Boston Bruins' organization,'' said Murray, ' 'and he'll do everything you want, and the organization wants, to create the best team they can be.' I know they're going to be playing hard every night for Marco. He cares about the players. He's just a great, great fit.' No matter the makeup of the Boston roster — much of that to be finalized in and around the start of NHL free agency Tuesday — Murray is confident Sturm will preach an up-tempo, puck-possession game, one both veterans and younger players will be able and eager to embrace. He was patient with the kids the Kings needed him to develop, noted Murray, while at the same time able to get the vets to buy into his game plan. 'He's a player's coach,' offered Murray. 'He knows there's a difference, vets and kids, right? But at the same time, everyone has to be accountable. He's put in the time to get this opportunity, to be in this situation he's in, and he is going to put everything he can into the organization and help that team get back to the top. No question. And it's all real. There's not one ounce of fakeness in Marco, I know that 100 percent. He has no hidden agenda. His only agenda is to make the Boston Bruins a [Stanley] Cup contender.' During his introductory presser June 10 on Causeway Street, Sturm offhandedly noted he was alone in California throughout his seven years — four as an assistant with the varsity squad and three as the Reign's head coach. Advertisement To land the job he wanted as one of the NHL's 32 head coaches, it meant Sturm being away from his wife and two children ostensibly for nine months a year. They remained home in southern Florida while he toiled away in SoCal, chasing after his new dream with the same zeal he showed decades earlier as a 16-year-old in Germany, intent on one day playing in the NHL. 'Tough, tough grind,' said Murray, noting the dedication needed for someone to be away from family for so long. 'I mean, he had family in and out to visit, but they weren't living here. That goes to show you in its own right that he's passionate about it. Like that's a huge thing to do, to be away from your family, with his kids still 14 and 15 at the time … it just showed that, yeah, he cares, he loves being a coach and he's willing to work.' No quit in this guy Kampfer keeps going in KHL Brad Marchand , now a two-time Cup winner, broke into the Bruins lineup as a fourth-line energy rascal in 2009-10 and had played only 97 regular-season games when he hoisted the trophy the first time in the spring of 2011. Rookie teammate Tyler Seguin , who turned 19 that season, had played in 74 games. He made it to a third consecutive Western Conference final this spring with the Stars and has yet to make it back to the winner's circle. The only other member of Boston's 2010-11 squad still chasing pucks for a living: journeyman defenseman Steven Kampfer , the UMichigan grad. Kampfer posted 38 games that season with the varsity but did not suit up for any of the 25 playoff games. Advertisement Kampfer, 36, played this past season for Chelyabinsk, his first in the KHL, and helped lead Traktor to the Gagarin Cup finals (a 4-1 series loss to Yaroslavl). Three other North Americans dotted Traktor's playoff lineup: including goalie Zach Fucale (Quebec), Buddy Robinson (New Jersey) and Florida-born Logan Day , who played at Kents Hill School in Maine prior to college twirls with Providence and Endicott. Raise high your hockey hand if you figured one day those four all would wear the same sweater for a team in the far western reaches of Mother Russia. The puck takes some crazy hops. Former Northeastern blue liner Dylan Sikura (Ontario), who spent four seasons on Jim Madigan's Huskies squads (2014-18), spent the first half of the KHL season with Traktor before being dealt to Moscow Dynamo. International intrigue Tkachuk injury offers painful reminder Matthew Tkachuk played through some tough injuries this season. Nathan Denette/Associated Press Nothing new in seeing injured players grind their way painfully through the playoffs, but the Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk took that to maximum 'M*A*S*H' level. He persevered through four postseason rounds while nursing a sports hernia and damaged adductor muscle he later revealed was 'torn off the bone.' The adductor muscle is 'what brings the hips toward the body,' said one longtime doctor, not wishing to be quoted when contacted by the Globe. He added, 'Sort of important in skating.' 'He was a mess,' confirmed Panthers coach Paul Maurice after pocketing the back-to-back Cup wins. 'That's the medical term — a mess.' Tkachuk's woes were a product of his participation in February's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. An ever-present concern of NHL team owners and GMs when weighing whether to shut down the league midseason for international play is that the working help will return swaddled in medical bandages when the league reopens for business. Advertisement Exhibit A, 2025 4 Nations: Tkachuk. The big winger, who logged only 6:47 in ice time for Team USA in the Feb. 20 championship game vs. Canada, did not play again until the Panthers' April 22 playoff opener. He finished a robust 8-15–23 for the postseason, but still was at less than full strength and effectiveness as he shook that Cup over his head for a second time in his career earlier this month. Tkachuk wasn't nearly his best, but still put up a point per game at the most intense time of the season. That's leadership. 'If not for our medical staff and trainers …,' mused Tkachuk, appreciative of being kept upright and in sufficient operational order. Tkachuk, remember, led off the 4 Nations fireworks in the explosive Feb. 15 matchup vs. Canada at the Bell Centre. The puck went down for the opening faceoff and Tkachuk immediately shook off the gloves for a raging punch-and-wrestle fest with Brandon Hagel that went on for nearly 30 seconds. Both combatants, it should be submitted for the record, sprang right back up on their feet after their do-si-do. Tkacuk remained in uniform the rest of the night, but logged only 11:10. A guy who hates to miss a shift, he then sat out the game at TD Garden two nights later vs. Sweden, and was limited to the 6:47 in the title game. None of which confirms it was the fight with Hagel that tore him up, and it would be a mistake even to think so because, you know … no one ever gets hurt in a hockey fight. Advertisement Reign ends droughts Marchand's latest Cup stirs memories Brad Marchand lifted another Stanley Cup, 14 years after his first. Lynne Sladky/Associated Press Marchand went 14 years between Cup hoists. Legendary bench boss Dick Irvin remains the record holder as coach with most years (12) between Cup triumphs. At age 39, in his first year behind Toronto's bench, Irvin directed the Maple Leafs to the Cup in 1932, then didn't win again until '44 with Montreal ( Toe Blake and Rocket Richard his top two Canadiens wingers). Irvin guided his teams to a total 11 Cup Finals (3-8). Local legend Art Ross , who in 1924 became the Boston franchise's first coach, went 10 years (1929-39) between Cup wins, a dry spell second only to Irvin's, per the NHL stats department. Ross finished 2-3 in his five Finals trips with the Bruins. Ross's '39 champs featured the famed Kraut Line of Milt Schmidt , Bobby Bauer , and Woody Dumart . The three pals from Kitchener, Ontario, all shipped off to Europe for the Duration following a game at the Garden in 1942, the night ending with the Canadiens hoisting all three on their shoulders and parading them around the ice. The three beloved Canucks weren't seen again on Causeway Street until it was over over there, returning to the Black and Gold lineup for the start of the 1945-46 season. Collectively, the Krauts lost 10½ seasons worth of their career to the war effort. 'True, we did,' a wistful Schmidt mused decades later in an interview with your faithful puck chronicler, 'but thousands of guys sacrificed way more than that.' Loose pucks Lokomotiv's championship KHL squad included Byron Froese , of the Winkler, Manitoba, Froeses, as its lone North American roster filler. Long ago a Blackhawks draft pick, Froese ventured to the KHL this season after dotting around North American pro leagues for 14 years (including 141 NHL games) … Bruins fans will remember that Brad McCrimmon , who joined the Black and Gold blue line with fellow rookie Ray Bourque in 1979-80, perished with the entire Lokomotiv team in a September 2011 plane crash. McCrimmon, 52, had just begun his first season as Yaro's head coach. His brother, Kelly McCrimmon , now 64, is the general manager of the Golden Knights … As noted here upon Marchand winning another Cup after 14 years, only two others endured longer droughts: Chris Chelios (16 years) and Mark Recchi (15). Darren Helm and Bill Guerin also had 14-year droughts. Craig Ludwig and Brian Skrudland had 13-year spacers before second swigs from the Cup … Ex-Bruins forward Ryan Donato , who turned pro with the varsity right off the Harvard campus in the spring of 2018, opted to forego the league July 1 unrestricted free agent dollarama and signed a four-year/$16 million extension to remain in the Blackhawks' roost. With a career-best line of 31-31–62 this past season, he might have been able to gin up the price in the open market. Most players chase the biggest buck, while a few balance money and fit. Chicago is Donato's fifth port o'call. At age 29 and with 483 games on his CV, he signed on for a solid wage and comfortable fit. He still has a ways to go to top dad Ted's 796 career games/eight NHL teams …Chatter recently picked up once again that the NHL will increase its 16-team playoff field, possibly to 20, opening the second season with best-of-three play-in action. Frankly, it's a surprise here that the Lords of the Boards didn't do it as part of the Covid recovery program. The conventional pushback is that a number bigger than 16 would represent more than 50 percent of the Original 32 franchises. Yeah, so what? Once was the time, post-WHA adoption, 16 of the Original 21 made the cut. Who cares? All that matters is that the best team is left standing with the Cup. Four more teams, generating revenue from as many as 12 games across four mini-series, would bring a smile to the fan bases of four cities otherwise left chagrined and an increase in the cap number. The problem with that is? … Patrick Kane , still on a path to July 1 UFA, will be 37 in November. For the right dough, like the $4 million he made last season with the Red Wings, he'd be an exciting fit for the Bruins, I think, particularly with fellow energizer bunny Sturm behind the bench. In his two seasons in Detroit, post- hip surgery, Kane's line: 41-65—106 in 122 games. League wide, only 52 players over those two years exceeded Kane's 0.87 points per game average. He'd be a fine RW2 here and could flip to RW1 to help David Pastrnak manage minutes or escape some of the shift to shift checking pressure … The Devils, who signed ex-Bruins forward Erik Haula three years ago, mainly to bolster their faceoff efficiency, wheeled him back to Nashville, where he played for one season before coming here. The move took $3.15M off GM Tom Fitzgerald's books in New Jersey, dough he now can kneed into a rich extension for talented restricted free agent defenseman Luke Hughes , whose entry-level deal has expired … Still think the Predators will look to move one of three pricier forwards: Steven Stamkos ($8 million annual average value), Jonathan Marchessault ($5.5 million) or Ryan O'Reilly ($4.5 million) … Yep, another frustrating year for the Maple Leafs, now 58 years down the Gardiner Expressway from their most recent Cup parade. They've already kicked team president Brendan Shanahan to the curb and it appears GM Brad Treliving will let talented winger Mitch Marner walk via the UFA market (teams rumored to offer him upward of $100 million over seven years). More moves to come, but it's worth noting the retooled Maple Leafs were able to stretch the mighty Panthers to a Game 7 in Round 2. Some solace there when weighed against the fact Florida lost only four games in its three other series. If Marner walks, and John Tavares's weighty $11 million cap hit remains off the books, Treliving will have $25 million in his July 1 shopping cart. Target No. 1? Possibly Marchand … If you were the Bruins, and flipped Jeremy Swayman to Utah for the No. 4 pick and a roster player (let's go with Matias Maccelli ), what would be your next move with that fourth pick and the seventh in hand? … No word yet on the release date for the NHL's 2025-26 schedule. On or around July 15 is a safe bet, with a projected opening night of Oct. 7 for most clubs. The league will go dark for about three weeks (approx Feb. 4-25), the best of the working help headed to Milano-Cortina for the 2026 Winter Games … One of the great headlines here in the Hub of Hockey, 40-plus years ago, read: 'Bruins Get Nill for McNab.' Jim Nill (now the Dallas GM) was obtained for longtime Bruins favorite Peter McNab . With that in mind, when the Bruins recently added Stars assistant coach Steve Spott to Sturm's staff, I was hoping to read, 'See Spott Run' as a headline in one of the Dallas dailies. Not yet. But a man can dream. Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bruins GM didn't look for validation from players during coach search
BOSTON — Don Sweeney had a big decision to make this offseason when it came to the Bruins' new coach. After talking to about 14 candidates, the general manager landed on Marco Sturm. The German-born forward will be Boston's third coach in as many seasons. Advertisement The Bruins missed the playoffs in 2024-25 for the first time in nearly a decade. The team struggled to find consistency — especially offensively — and Sweeney his decision on who to name the next coach would be a crucial one. During Sturm's introductory press conference on Tuesday, Sweeney was asked whether he sought the input from players. And while he said he discussed with them characteristics during exit interviews, the conversations didn't go further than that. 'During the process, I did not run a particular name or style by our players,' he said. 'I think our players innately want to be coached. They want to have an understanding of how they're going to be coached, and they value the same things we organizationally value: Communication, respect and culture. 'I wasn't looking for validation from our players in any way, shape or form from deciding who the coach was going to be,' Sweeney later added. 'I want them to understand that Marco's in charge, and we think we've picked a really good coach, and they're going to go to work.' Advertisement Sturm is familiar with the Bruins, though most of his former teammates have retired. The 46-year-old was traded to Boston in 2005 as part of the deal that sent Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks. The forward scored 106 goals during his tenure, but perhaps none more memorable than his overtime game-winner in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park against the Philadelphia Flyers. Even though this is Sturm's first NHL head coaching job, Sweeney is confident he can help turn the team around and get them back into the playoffs. 'Marco went through some of the things that he felt that we had done well but things that we had gotten away from and where the league is at and where the league is heading to,' Sweeney said. 'It's all important parts of it, and the player development part of it was certainly a big part of those conversations and how you do integrate the players and when they're going to be ready and having connectivity with your minor-league program.' More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bruins hire 2010 Winter Classic hero as next coach
The Boston Bruins have their guy. Boston hired Marco Sturm as the organization's new coach. Sturm played for the Bruins for five seasons after he was acquired by the Bruins in a trade that sent Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks in 2005. Advertisement Sturm played hero for Boston in 2010 when he scored the game-winning overtime goal in the Bruins' first Winter Classic appearance at Fenway Park. Sturm takes over for Joe Sacco, who served as Boston's interim coach after Jim Montgomery was fired in November. The Bruins interviewed several candidates including Jay Woodcroft, Jay Leach, Mitch Love and Sacco. The 46-year-old inherits a team that went 33-39-10 in a disappointing 2024-25 season that saw the Bruins trade away Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo and their captain, Brad Marchand. While this is Sturm's first NHL head coaching job, his résumé includes international experience, including leading the German national team to a silver medal in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. The German-born forward has been with the AHL's Ottawa Reign for three seasons where he's thrived as their coach. The team went 119-80-11-6 during his tenure and made three consecutive playoff appearances. Advertisement Before that, Sturm spent time as an assistant with the Los Angeles Kings. With Sturm on board, the Bruins' next priority will be the NHL Draft later this month where they have the No. 7 pick. In 938 NHL games, Sturm registered 487 points. More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
5 things to know about new Boston Bruins coach
Marco Sturm is coming back to TD Garden. After an exhaustive search, the former Bruins forward has been named the franchise's 30th head coach. Boston was the final team to fill their head coaching vacancy this offseason. Advertisement 'I'm incredibly honored to be named head coach of the Boston Bruins,' Sturm said in a statement. 'I want to thank Charlie Jacobs and the Jacobs family, Cam Neely, and Don Sweeney for trusting me with this opportunity. Boston has always held a special place in my heart, and I know how much this team means to the city and to our fans. I've felt that passion as a player, and I can't wait to be behind the bench and feel it again. I'm excited to get to work and do everything I can to help this team succeed.' Here are five things to know about the first-time NHL head coach with 938 games under his belt as a player: 1. Sturm wasn't one-goal wonder in Boston While he appears on most Bruins highlight reels scoring the 2010 Winter Classic overtime clincher at Fenway Park, Sturm's career in Boston was far more expansive than one game-winning goal. Advertisement A piece of the return in 2005's stunning Joe Thornton trade, Sturm spent five seasons in Boston, scoring more than 20 goals four times. He played on Patrice Bergeron's left wing in the center's early days and finished with 106 goals in 302 games as a Bruin. 'As a former Bruin, he understands what this team means to the city and our fans,' general manager Don Sweeney said. 'We're embracing a new direction with Marco behind the bench and are confident his energy, standards, and commitment to a competitive, hard-nosed brand of hockey reflect exactly what Bruins hockey should be.' 2. He has been coaching the Ontario Reign Though he doesn't have NHL head coaching experience, Sturm has spent the past three seasons behind the bench for Ontario, the Kings' AHL affiliate, posting a 119-80-11-6 record. The 46-year-old led the Reign to postseason berths in all three seasons, winning one playoff series. Last season Sturm coached former Bruins prospect Jack Studnicka (16 goals, 29 assists) in Ontario. 3. Sturm comes from defensive-minded Kings system The Bruins have made it no secret they're looking for a defense-first approach, and Sturm comes from a Kings franchise that's notorious for being defensive-minded. He spent 2018-2022 as an assistant in Los Angeles before his promotion to Ontario. Advertisement 'Throughout this process, our goal was to identify a coach who could uphold our strong defensive foundation while helping us evolve offensively,' Sweeney said. 'We were also looking for a communicator and leader – someone who connects with players, develops young talent, and earns the respect of the room. Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion. 4. Germany-native has coached internationally A native of Dingolfing, Sturm played for the German national team in international tournaments and has coached it, too. The Germans won a silver medal under Sturm at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, and he's coached them three times (2016-18) in the IIHF World Championships, too. 5. Sturm was once Germany's scoring leader With 487 career points (242 goals and 245 assists), Sturm was the most prolific German scorer of all-time until Oilers phenom Leon Draisaitl came along. Draisaitl broke Sturm's mark in 2021 and has since obliterated it playing alongside Connor McDavid. Advertisement 'Of course, this is a great honor for me. We have some great hockey players who come from Germany. To top this list means a lot to me,' Draisaitl said after breaking the record. More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Matt Vautour: Bruins passed on safer choices to chase Marco Sturm's higher ceiling
Anyone praising or criticizing the Bruins' choice of Marco Sturm to be the franchise's next head coach is guessing. Nobody knows how a 46-year-old former player, who has never been a head coach in the NHL before, will fare. Advertisement But to their credit or detriment, the Bruins' front office took a big swing. With Marco Sturm, they chose to chase the potential of a high ceiling rather than the safety of a probable high floor. Years from now, history will judge that as either brilliant or risky. If Sturm is the next Kris Knoblauch, they'll be thrilled. If he's Ralph Krueger, they're in trouble. There were safer choices. In the NHL, there's always a former coach ready to be a current coach. And this year was no different. The search cycle started with six former Stanley Cup-winning coaches available and several others with prior experience. But the Bruins went for the unknown. Sturm has the benefit of being both a recognizable name and a fresh voice. Fans will like that he's the guy who scored memorable game-winning goals in the first Winter Classic in Boston and in Game 6 against the Canadiens in 2008. He'll understand what hockey means to the city and what the fanbase is like. Advertisement But while he played for the Bruins, he earned his coaching stripes in Los Angeles and in Germany. He won't be more of the same. His emphasis on defensive reliability meshes with Don Sweeney's preferred approach, but he'll come at it differently. While both tenures ended in disappointment, Sweeney has previously identified and hired two good coaches. Bruce Cassidy led the Bruins to the finals and Vegas to a Cup. Jim Montgomery won the Jack Adams Award in 2023, but might have done a better coaching job in 2023-24 when he led a salary-cap ravaged team back to the second round of the playoffs. St. Louis improved upon his arrival. Advertisement Sturm has a different initial assignment than the one given to his predecessors, though. Cassidy and Montgomery were given high-end rosters with a charge to win a Cup. Sturm gets a team with pieces and question marks. While the Bruins have stated that they don't think this is a rebuild, but a retooling, they owe Sturm some patience. Like any new coach, he'll make mistakes. But the Bruins are hoping his youth helps him connect with a roster of younger players in a way that helps spark their development and that the long-term results outweigh any growing pains. Change the rule... The Oilers won Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on a power-play goal on one of the worst penalties in sports. Advertisement Tomas Nosek accidentally flipped the puck into the stands, an automatic delay of game minor, creating a rare overtime power play. That a game that important was decided by a penalty so insignificant is bad for hockey. A delay of game should be treated like icing. The team that committed the out-of-play flip should have a defensive zone faceoff and not be allowed to change lines. That gives them a disadvantage proportional to the infraction and enough disincentive not to do it. No Charlie... NCAA President Charlie Baker says he sees value in expanding the NCAA basketball tournaments. The only people who think this is a good idea are coaches and athletic directors, whose jobs and bonuses come making the field. Advertisement Currently, the first day of the NCAA Tournament is one of the best days in sports. Expansion would turn it into the basketball version of the Independence Bowl. Leave the tournament alone. Real Jeopardy! Clue Sports clues from actual editions of America's favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date CATEGORY: CULTURE, IN THE POPULAR SENSE - $400 - Last Monday It's something many use every day to unlock things online & the nickname of Red Sox prospect Jhostynxon Garcia. — Answer below The Top 5 Top 5 Boston Sports Beards of this century In honor of David Andrews' retirement: 5 - Johnny Damon 4 - Jaylen Brown Advertisement 3 - Zdeno Chara 2 - David Andrews 1 - Jonny Gomes/Mike Napoli tied Today in Boston Sports History June 6 1944 — Since it's the 81st anniversary of D-Day. I'm straying from Boston sports for the day to mention that Yogi Berra (Navy) and golfing legend Bobby Jones (Army) each took part in the Normandy invasion. Civil rights activist Medgar Evers was also part of the history changing assault on the French beaches that day. Star Trek and Star Wars came together too. James Doohan (Scotty) and Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) were part of the Canadian Army and British Royal Navy, respectively. Lightning round Thunder in 5, Oilers in 7. The Red Sox being lousy when they tried to be good is worse than being lousy when they didn't invest. WWE is doing some great build-up for Trump vs. Musk at Summer Slam. 'Sinners' was terrific and might have one of the coolest movie scores I've ever heard. Nic Enright coming back from cancer to make it to the major leagues is one of the reasons we love sports. It's fun to watch the ball jump off of Blaze Jordan's bat. The Bruins didn't get enough for Brad Marchand, but pushing that pick back a few years was actually smart. The Panthers are aging. They're better off if it gets pushed to 2028 and isn't Top 10 protected. Real Jeopardy! Question: What is Password? Headline Crystal Ball: Sunday: Last week: I was on vacation from work and on vacation from being wrong in my predictive headlines. Finally... If you need me, I'll be at Bear's BBQ. Read the original article on MassLive.
