Could be a busy week for B’s
Coaching hire, Sweeney extension, Bergeron deal are all on the table
This could be a very busy week for the Boston Bruins.
The front burner issue is the coaching search. The presumed front runner for the job, David Quinn, was scheduled to meet with ownership over the weekend, according to a league source. Whether or not that’s the final kiss of approval for Quinn, or any other candidates — Jay Leach (believed to be a strong entry as well), Jim Montgomery, Spencer Carbery, Joe Sacco are all reportedly on the list — will also be brought in to meet with ownership is not clear at this point. But it certainly suggests Quinn cleared at least one hurdle.
If Quinn is indeed the B’s man, then he comes with a wide variety of experience.
The 55 year- old Cranton, R.I., native’s previous NHL head coach stop was his three-year stint with the New York Rangers from 201821. Taking over as the Blueshirts embarked on an overhaul Quinn, along with team president John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton, were all let go after they had just about completed the remarkable rebuilding job with the Rangers, who made it to the Eastern Conference Finals this year.
Quinn, a 1984 first-round draft pick of the Minnesota North Stars who was forced to retire from playing due to a blood disorder, coached at his alma mater BU from 201318, making it as far as the national championship game, where the Terriers lost to Providence College at TD Garden in 2015.
His coaching career began in 1993 as an assistant at Northeastern before moving on to Nebraska-omaha. He was also an associate head coach under Jack Parker before getting his first pro head coaching gig with the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL in 2009. After three years, Quinn took an assistant job with the Colorado Avalanche for one year before taking over for the legendary Parker at BU in 2013. During his last stint on Commonwealth Avenue, Quinn recruited and coached current Bruins Charlie Mcavoy and Matt Grzelcyk. He remained there until the Rangers came calling.
Quinn also has extensive coaching experience in the USA national program, where he’s been coaching since being let go from the Rangers.
Also on the docket this week? It’s a good bet that the club will announce the long-awaited extension for GM Don Sweeney. The Worcester Gazette & Telegram reported on Saturday that a deal had been finalized. That seemed to be a fait accompli weeks ago when team president Cam Neely declared his confidence in Sweeney, whose contract was set to run out, to conduct the search.
Sweeney, meanwhile, is tentatively scheduled to sit down with team captain Patrice Bergeron to discuss his future. According to multiple sources, Bergeron has expressed an interest in playing for another year. Bergeron finished up an eight-year contract in 2021-22 and declined to discuss an extension during the season because he wanted time to make a decision on whether he wanted to continue playing or not.
That much, apparently, has been decided and now it’s just a matter of getting a deal done. With the B’s current cap situation — they have just a little over $2 million of room — a new deal for Bergeron will most likely have to be incentive-laden, unless they clear money via trades .They will most likely have to do that anyway. The new coach, whether it’s Quinn or someone else, would certainly be the beneficiary of a Bergeron return.
In any event, it should a very interesting week for the B’s.