Bruins coach talks goals, vision for next season

Lower than a month after being tabbed because the thirtieth head coach in Bruins franchise historical past, Marco Sturm already feels at dwelling. 

And it’s not simply because he’s rediscovered his affinity for Dunkin’.

However as he sat on the nearest espresso outpost  — only a stone’s throw away from the Bruins’ facility at Warrior Ice Area — the 46-year-old coach was served a reminder of the surroundings he as soon as embraced as a participant, and now rejoins as a bench boss.

“Good luck this season, Marco,” a person mentioned in passing as he walked out of the shop, caffeinated gasoline in hand. 

“Thanks,” the first-year head coach replied earlier than turning again to his espresso.

It’s not the primary time he’s obtained nicely needs on the road since being tasked with righting the ship in Boston after a disastrous 2024-25 marketing campaign. 

“You’re in that market once more,” Sturm mentioned with a smile. 

In an unique interview with Boston.com final week, Sturm touched on a number of subjects over a cup of Dunkin’, together with expectations for the 2025-26 season, Boston’s offseason strikes, and rather more. 

Boston.com: Beginning off with an important query of the week, what’s your go-to Dunkin order?

Sturm: I believe you’ll be able to see it already right here. Simply black espresso. It was once cappuccino, however then it obtained too candy. So I’m sticking with black espresso, somewhat little bit of half and half. I even have actually, actually, actually good reminiscences of a toasted sesame bagel with cream cheese.

It’s my children’ favourite, and normally Dad had a chunk or two as nicely, as a result of it was that good.

Have you ever been capable of take a breather since being employed?

Nonetheless working — in a great way. It was rather a lot occurring, particularly once I obtained employed — did the media tour. And even once I went again, I nearly felt like an agent or GM. I used to be on the cellphone more often than not, not simply with media. I additionally needed to discover an assistant coach, speaking to all of the gamers. I reached out to everybody. Simply speaking to a variety of totally different folks. After which main towards the draft, I believe it was nice for me for Don and the scouts to let me of their conferences, so I obtained to know the younger children developing. That’s why I used to be much more excited to get a man like [James] Hagans, as a result of I really feel like I knew him already, as a result of I did my homework just a few days earlier than, and he’s going to be an ideal match for us and this group.

Free company the previous few days, it’s been loopy. So yeah, it didn’t decelerate. We met with all of the coaches right here every single day for the final three days, in order that was good. I believe beginning subsequent week, I believe issues will decelerate. We now have our workforce now, for essentially the most half, and in addition the teaching workers. So I believe now it’s simply ‘Okay, relax somewhat bit’ after which I’m going to assault — about our system, about our group, about our gamers, after which we go from there.

You’ve talked about the attract of teaching an Authentic Six franchise. However, what’s it about this market and this fanbase that has you excited to leap again in?

We simply laughed about it — two seconds in the past, the place the man simply got here up and he’s like, ‘Good luck, Marco’. However that’s precisely it, proper? I’ve been by way of it as a participant. The followers right here and the persons are so passionate. However I used to be speaking to [Pavel] Zacha right this moment — that additionally made me a greater participant, proper? That pushed me to be a greater participant, that pushed me to be additionally, I believe, a greater particular person. It taught me a variety of issues.

Even when issues are going dangerous, it’s onerous, however you be taught one thing out of it. And I believe these guys proper now within the locker room went by way of it final season. Now this summer season, I believe these guys realized rather a lot, and I believe it’s simply going to assist us transferring ahead. However to reply your query, I believe that is it. The passionate followers and the group, too. You possibly can see, with our signings [Tuesday], it brings again outdated reminiscences. The outdated Boston tradition. We needed to refresh it once more, and we’d like it transferring ahead.

Once you have a look at the additions made by the workforce on Tuesday, what kind of message do these strikes ship about the kind of id this workforce must embrace?

For me, instantly, it’s grit. It’s onerous to play in opposition to. It’s once more, like I mentioned, going again to our id. Again to the usual we wish to play because the Boston Bruins. I believe that id, we undoubtedly may have [it]. I believe that’s one thing I believe the followers and everybody else can respect, and they’re going to see it with the best way we’re going to play.

There’s nonetheless a variety of work to do. Don’t get me improper, proper? What I skilled, even in L.A. You want you’ll be able to repair it in a single day, however you’ll be able to’t. So that you’ve obtained to be affected person. However I assumed Don and his workers did an amazing job, and I’ve been round them the final 4 days. There have been a variety of discussions with different groups and gamers — might have gone someplace else, however I’m actually glad the best way we ended and now I’m trying ahead to working with this workforce, additionally giving some younger guys a chance, as a result of that’s what I love to do.

A couple of of the gamers Boston introduced in have some ties to the Kings. Did you will have any enter so far as offseason targets and does that familiarity with somebody like Viktor Arvidsson assist?

No, I didn’t convey the names up. They did. Let’s begin that approach, proper? It simply turned out I had them and we have been in the identical group, humorous sufficient. And that helped, particularly with Arvy. He had a no-move clause, and he did it, not simply because he needed to return to Boston and have an ideal alternative, but in addition the connection I had with him up to now.

[Tanner] Jeannot, he’s only a typical Boston Bruins man. Jogs my memory of all of these outdated gamers we had right here. He is aware of what it takes, and he may even maintain the room, [he’s a] nice teammate, and in addition maintain the blokes on the ice. And that’s what we wanted.

It feels like — I used to be right here up to now — nevertheless it feels like that obtained misplaced somewhat bit, and that’s what we needed to assault to be a very aggressive group once more. Not simply in video games, but in addition in practices and on the ice and off the ice. And it’s beginning with me too, proper? I’m gonna set the tone every single day, and I believe that was a part of what Don preferred about my hiring, too — that I’m not a participant, however I do this as a coach as nicely. 

Do you’re feeling you will have the personnel in place to constantly generate offense this season? 

Once more, I’m not going to lie. It’s going to be onerous, proper? I imply, going again to what I simply mentioned, I want we’d have every little thing, however there’s all the time a path to it. We did that. I consider you all the time should construct a basis first, and you’ll’t look forward. I do know you prefer to. However I believe we’re in a very great spot proper now with our core guys. I believe we have now that basis now. Now my job is to construct that basis into the best way we wish to play, proper, and we nonetheless wish to have a very good defensive id.

But in addition, how can we rating extra objectives? And I believe that’s somewhat little bit of mixture of stuff I’m going to convey at five-on-five. I believe particular groups can be large, proper? The facility play, I believe, shouldn’t be excused, as a result of we do have good items, proper? We now have good gamers to have a profitable energy play, and we’d like them, proper? As a result of the five-on-five, it is going to be onerous. In order that’s why they’re particular groups. It’s going to be an enormous a part of our sport.”

This workforce has taken extra of a high quality over amount method with its shot choice over the previous few seasons. After bringing in just a few extra shot-heavy forwards like Arvidsson, do you consider that the workforce’s offensive method must be tweaked to encourage a larger shot quantity? 

Yeah, no, completely. I’m a man and you’ll have a look at my Ontario [Reign] stats with my groups.  There’s a variety of quantity to it, however I additionally know, as a result of I’ve been a participant, you’ve obtained to know who you’re, too, proper? In case you have a man like [David Pastrnak] and [Morgan Geekie] and Elias [Lindholm] — that one line, they’re not simply throwing pucks to the online. However they’re good at it, and so they can do it, proper? 

I need them to have that mindset — and I need them to make performs as nicely. There’s another guys, it’s going to be totally different, proper? And people guys, [Michael] Eyssimont and these guys, they’ve obtained to know who they’re and what they should do. And I’ll inform them that. However total, I’m very, very direct, and I believe that half was lacking right here as nicely, proper? And I wish to hunt, I wish to get pucks again, and I wish to do it once more. So to do this nicely, you’ve to shoot some pucks as nicely. 

Once you have a look at the groups you’ve had each in Ontario and Los Angeles, do you see some parallels between these teams and the kind of workforce you’re trying to construct right here?

No, completely. And consider it or not, I believe LA is similar to Boston. Proper now, should you have a look at the roster we had 5 years in the past, that larger rebuild, I’d say, yeah. And once more, it took us not less than 4 years to get thus far. We aren’t there. However once more, I see rather a lot that’s the identical, completely. And I believe that helps me rather a lot with the place we’re at. Once more, what I realized, it’s important to be affected person generally.

You’ve obtained to know who you will have, what sort of workforce you will have, and so long as you see progress throughout that stretch, I believe we’re going to be in fine condition. However at finish of the day, how we grew to become a very good workforce in LA is enjoying good protection, proper? That simply helps, and we nonetheless discovered methods to create offense. We’re not elite. We’re not like Vegas and no matter. We’re simply not like that. However there are specific methods we have now to enhance to clearly win extra hockey video games.

Bringing in a brand new assistant coach in Steve Spott — what has his enter been and what do you’re feeling like he can convey to assist spark this energy play?

I’m going to inform you this, it was truly not that simple to search out the correct man. Not only for me, I believe for my gamers. That, for me, is an important factor. Who may also help out my gamers essentially the most. Clearly, the ability play, that’s going to be large. However once more, I have a look at the massive image, and I believe he checks all of the bins in the best way he likes to play, the best way he likes to run issues, the groups he performed he coached: Vegas, particularly Dallas, San Jose.

These are my kind of groups within the fashion they play. So should you put every little thing collectively, I believe it’s only a good match. His expertise on high of it. I believe he’s simply going to assist me and our teaching workers transferring ahead. I’m actually excited to have him on board.

So far as tweaking different areas of this workforce’s sport — be it defensive construction or the impartial zone — have you ever made any choices but? 

Yeah no, not like one hundred pc, however I believe this week, speaking to my coaches, we attacked just a few areas. For instance, the impartial zone. We attacked that this week, simply sort of specializing in that and the place we are able to enhance on that. Once more, in my in my head and my thoughts, it’s already nearly set, the best way I wish to play. I do know that. However once more, I’m all the time very open with my workers. I wish to make the correct alternative for this workforce. However I additionally needed to wait — who can we truly find yourself with? 

I believe that’s one thing I realized, too, is you’ll be able to’t simply — I can’t simply play just like the Florida Panthers. Do I wish to play like that? Sure. However you additionally should know what sort of personnel you will have, and that’s why we took time this week and talked extra concerning the impartial zone. I believe the D zone and another areas will comply with up within the subsequent weeks or so. 

What kind of alternative can be afforded to youthful gamers like Fraser Minten and Matt Poitras going into subsequent season?

I believe it’s actually vital. Once more, I really like working with these guys. I believe I’m a man the place I’ll give them every little thing I can. I’ll educate them, I’ll push them. However additionally they will dictate the place they’re gonna go. For me, that’s the participant and that’s on them. And once more, in the event that they play adequate, then I don’t have an issue with enjoying them. I need them to have success.

But when not — perhaps they’re not prepared but, and perhaps they should be taught the onerous approach. Hopefully we do have some spots accessible. And I believe it feels like a few of the guys have a very good alternative. I actually hope they seize it, as a result of I need them to seize it. I need that competitors in our lineup, particularly with these younger guys. I’m an enormous believer in that we wish to play a fast-paced sport, and also you sort of want these younger legs too, so hopefully some guys will come by way of.

Wanting additional down the road, what do you see from James Hagens and the subsequent wave of expertise within the system?

For me, that’s so thrilling. From what I heard, it’s the primary time in a very long time we have now a variety of good, younger folks right here at our rink, particularly proper now at Dev Camp. Having a participant like Hagens, it simply helps, proper? It helps us as a training workers, trying ahead to one thing actually particular. Speaking to gamers — the very first thing that comes out of their mouth is, “What about that Hagens?” So you’ll be able to inform the thrill from not simply me and the group, but in addition from the gamers that they know they’re gonna have one thing to sit up for and a few good gamers to play with sooner or later.

There’s all the time another guys, too. You get [Will] Moore and another guys, BC guys it appears like — increasingly more. However you by no means know. There’s all the time a shock. However not less than we have now some now, and we all know, even for subsequent 12 months and within the years to return, I believe there’s some expertise developing. It’s going to take time, however you want these, particularly in the long term.

What has been the message to the returning gamers when it comes to your imaginative and prescient and what you’re making an attempt to construct right here and what has been their reception? 

Each one in all them that I talked to — they’re very, very excited. I believe for them, it appears like a contemporary begin. They’re nonetheless very bitter and pissed concerning the season they’d final 12 months. Having a protracted summer season, they’re not used to this, however I believe it’s useful, like we talked about. However once more, having a brand new voice, a part of a brand new workers, only a new mindset. I believe that’s one thing that they sit up for.

We didn’t actually discuss concerning the X’s and O’s. However I simply wish to make certain they’re going to make use of this summer season and are available again in actually fine condition. I believe that’s one thing — we have now to be elite on this league, particularly should you’re not a high workforce. You gotta, not less than in that class, it’s important to keep forward and be forward of another groups. And that was actually somewhat bit my message — the thrill, but in addition the work ethic you want from these guys in the summertime to return again in actually fine condition.

You talked about throughout your preliminary press convention about the way you embraced teaching after retirement. The place does that motivation and drive come from? 

Sturm: I’m gonna inform you a comic story, and I don’t even know if I advised it.  Our house is in Florida. Shawn Thornton — Thorty works for the Panthers, and he wrestles with my outdated neighbor in Florida. I didn’t know that. Lengthy story quick, he invited him over, and we hung out and and all my neighbors have been saying, “I can’t consider, Marco, you’re a coach.” As a result of they solely know me because the neighbor and being a household man, that Marco Sturm.

I requested Thorty that, and he mentioned, and I believe he was bang on. He mentioned, “Not even a query, as a result of he’s all the time been a pacesetter.” I used to be simply smarter than another guys. I used to be a quiet chief, however I knew what it took and I simply obtained the job finished. And I believe that’s it. I believe that management, eager to be that chief. Eager to be the man. I believe that’s one thing I seen instantly once I began teaching. That is me. I by no means thought I’d be a coach, however right here I’m.

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author protecting the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Pink Sox for Boston.com, a job he has held since 2023.