The Boston Bruins have named Marco Sturm of Dingolfing, Germany as their new head coach according to Josh Erickson of NHL Trade Rumors on Thursday. Sturm becomes the first German born National Hockey League head coach all-time.
Who is Sturm replacing?
Sturm replaces interim head coach Joe Sacco of Medford, Massachusetts. Sacco was named the interim head coach of the Bruins when the franchise fired Jim Montgomery of Montreal, Quebec on November 19. Montgomery was not out of a job for long. He signed a five-year contract with the St. Louis Blues as their head coach on November 24, as Blues general manager Doug Armstrong replaced Drew Bannister with Montgomery.
Sturm’s coaching experience
Sturm was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings from 2018 to 2022. He was then the head coach of the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League from 2022 to 2025. The Reign are the minor league affiliate of the Kings. Sturm has also coached Germany at several international tournaments. They include the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s Hockey Championships in Moscow, Russia, the 2017 IIHF World Men’s Hockey Championship in Cologne, Germany, the 2018 IIHF World Men’s Hockey Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang.
It was actually at the Olympic Winter Games seven years ago that Sturm did his finest coaching job. Germany won the Olympic silver medal in men’s hockey. The Germans stunned Sweden 4-3 in overtime in the quarterfinals, and then Canada 4-3 in the semifinals. They also forced the Olympic Athletes from Russia to overtime before losing the gold medal game 4-3. This was Germany’s third ever medal at the Olympic Winter Games in men’s hockey. They won bronze at the 1932 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid and a bronze medal at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck.
Sturm’s NHL playing experience
Sturm played 14 seasons in the NHL as a forward from 1997 to 2012. He was with the San Jose Sharks from 1997 to 2005, the Boston Bruins from 2005 to 2010, the Los Angeles Kings from 2010 to 2011, the Washington Capitals in 2011, the Vancouver Canucks in 2011, and the Florida Panthers from 2011 to 2012. In fact, Sturm was an All-Star in 1998-99, as he had 38 points in 78 games for the Sharks.
Sturm had 242 goals and 245 assists for 487 points in 938 games. He was a +59 with 446 penalty minutes, 137 power-play points, 24 shorthanded points, 43 game-winning goals, two hat tricks and 2074 shots on goal. Sturm’s first NHL hat trick came in a 5-3 Sharks win over the Edmonton Oilers on December 23, 1998, and the second NHL hat trick came in a 7-2 Bruins win over the Ottawa Senators on December 19, 2006.
