The 'C' is open after Boston traded Brad Marchand during the 2024-25 season.
When the Bruins traded captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers, Boston went without a captain for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
With Marco Sturm officially introduced as the new head coach of the Bruins, he will be tasked with figuring out which player will be a leader in the locker room. The new head coach isn’t set on having a player don the “C” on their jersey, though.
“I think if you’re a Boston Bruin, I think it’s a big deal,” Sturm told 98.5 Sports Hub’s “Felger & Mazz” on Tuesday. “If you’re not 100 percent sure, you don’t (need a captain). So we’ll see.”
If Sturm does name a captain, Bruins fans likely won’t hear about it for at least a few months. The former Bruins winger wants to get to know the players not just for their playing styles but also who they are in the locker room.
Sturm could look at players like David Pastrnak or Charlie McAvoy, who have been leaders before, but he wants to get to know them before making a decision.
“The one thing I told them, yes, I know the Pastrnak. I know the Lindholm and the McAvoy, yes, I’ve seen him play but I don’t know him as a person,” Sturm said. “I actually would like to get to know him first. I want to see it. I want to feel it when I work with him everyday then maybe, I don’t know yet. That’s something we have to address.”
The Bruins have had strong captains in the past, including Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara and Joe Thornton so Sturm will be face with a tough task of deciding who will fill the skates.
Marco Sturm outlines his vision for Bruins
Against the backdrop of a dreary Boston skyline from the 14th floor of the Boston Bruins’ offices on Causeway Street, Marco Sturm was introduced as the 30th head coach of the team on Tuesday.
Whether the 46-year-old German and former Bruin player has the goods to one day own the city below should be clear within a couple of years.
Sturm occasionally flashed the goal scoring grin he showed whenever he found the back of the net as a player.
But more prevalent in the 50-minute press conference with GM Don Sweeney was the seriousness and sense of purpose he has shown since embarking on his coaching career, starting with the German national team, moving on to an assistant on Todd McLellan’s staff with the Los Angeles Kings and, lastly, as the head coach of the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.
As for the team into which he’s about to command, Sturm conceded there are some holes, but he believes in the bones of the roster, which includes superstar David Pastrnak, two quality defensemen in Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm, and a goalie the club is banking on bouncing back after a subpar season, Jeremy Swayman.
“I’m not going to lie. I think that the process already started last season at the trading deadline. There will be some changes,” said Sturm. “But what I like, and I told Don and Cam (Neely), I still love our team, even without any addition. Because I think we have good goaltending. When everyone stays healthy, I think we have a really good D corps. I think we hopefully we have a few pieces up front. But overall, I do like our (team). But overall, I think depth-wise, we just probably need a little. But I think with our DNA, the Bruins’ DNA, playing good defensively, that’s not going to change. But we have to find a way to be more productive offensively. That’s going to be our goal … and that’s what we’re going to address from day one. And obviously, special teams will be a big part as well.”
At least some modicum of optimism is a prerequisite for a coach on day one. But there’s a lot of work to be done with this team, and more work than a couple of a decent free agent pick-ups can fix. The Bruins were 28th in goals scored, 26th in goals against, 29th in power play and 24th in penalty kill.
With Joe Sacco now on Mike Sullivan’s Ranger staff, the other assistants – Chris Kelly, Jay Leach and Bob Essensa – will be retained. Sturm will be searching for another assistant with an eye on improving the power play.
