The next coach of the Boston Bruins will be a familiar name to their fans.
Marco Sturm—the head coach of the American Hockey League's Ontario Reign—has been named the next coach of the Bruins, the team announced Thursday morning. Sturm, 46, played for the Bruins from 2006 to '10.
"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," Sturm said in a team statement. "I’ve felt that passion as a player, and I can’t wait to be behind the bench and feel it again."
Sturm is a native of Germany; he is considered one of that country's greatest players and coaches. As a player, he spent 14 years in the NHL with six teams (most notably the San Jose Sharks). As a coach, he led the Germans to a surprise silver medal at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018.
Boston dismissed coach Jim Montgomery on Nov. 19 on the heels of an 8-9-3 start; the team's eventual 33-39-10 record was its worst since the 2007 season. Ex-Colorado Avalanche boss Joe Sacco served as interim coach for the remainder of the season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bruins Name One of Their Former Players Next Head Coach.