How many days has it been since the Boston Bruins have been without a head coach? 23 days and counting. At least it sounds like they’re interviewing candidates now, so that’s something.
Depending on whom you pay attention to, there are any number of lead candidates for the job. Some sources have David Quinn as the guy to beat while the odds that the previously departed P-Bruins coach Jay Leach would be the new coach. The Bruins reportedly kicked the tires on Jim Montgomery but there seemed to be no splashy accounts of that. Longtime assistant coach got the obligatory interview but was a long shot to get it. I’ve heard nothing about Spencer Carbery other than he’s young and he’s one to watch.
Now , Matt Porter of The Boston Globe has compiled a definitive list of the interviewees with a new name: Penguins assistant Mike Vellucci.
Can report the Bruins opened this week with a group of seven candidates for head coach (in alphabetical order):
Spencer Carbery
Greg Cronin
Jay Leach
Jim Montgomery
David Quinn
Joe Sacco
Mike Velluccimore at https://t.co/3Rwgw2IzZA
— matt porter (@mattyports) June 29, 2022
Mike Vellucci was not a name I heard prior to yesterday but apparently he’s been through a couple of interviews now.
As usual, @JoeyMacHockey is all over it. Wanted to add: Believe this was Vellucci’s second interview as part of the process.
Sounds like the finalists for #NHLBruins are David Quinn, Jay Leach and Vellucci. Many believe Quinn is the front runner for the job. We’ll see. https://t.co/0kIMUmACiR
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 29, 2022
Vellucci has previous head coaching experience in the AHL, including winning the Calder Cup with the then Carolin Hurricanes affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers in 2019. That year he also won the AHL Coach of the Year before deciding to leave the Hurricanes organization in June. He joined the Penguins as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins in 2019 before ascending to the big club to be an assistant under Mike Sullivan in September 2020. Apparently, he is a penalty kill specialist.
So, that’s where things are right now. I somehow expect an announcement on Friday afternoon, late by press release with no media availability until sometime next week. Canada Day is Friday and the July 4th holiday will complicate everything, of course. But knowing Cam and Donny, they hate talking to the press so they give zero fucks about announcing this.
Morning folks,
Rare day in the office today. A few of us are in and there was mention of a trip to the pub afterwards…
Got my bank statement the other day – it was basically a list of the pubs I had been in that month. Actually that makes it sound worse than reality – more accurately the list was the same as our darts team fixture list!
Our bank statementshave been pretty boring lately… hoping to fix that with some nightlife soon. It would help if our bar reopened… we have to drive three whole miles to get to a pub these days
Good morning,
Beautiful day in the Berkshires! Jo has PT for her yucky knee and a blood pressure check. Living with me might increase blood pressure, just sayin’. Me, i’m eating an apple a day.
We’re enjoying coffee with the hummingbirds this morn. Lots of visits, even had one come in close for the face recognition thing…
Ummm, pick a coach before draft day, eh?
Morning all.
Missed your show last night, if you had one. We were out early!
No show last night because my cohost can’t stop getting COVID!!
According to Fluto Shinzawa, the field has narrowed down to Quinn, Montgomery, and Leach. Other candidates have been told they are no longer in contention.