Bruins adding former European champion to coaching staff

After the Boston Bruins fell to the Buffalo Sabres in The First Round, there were going to be some minor changes. Now, they have added a coach who was a European champion to their coaching staff, according to Bruins beat writer Russ Macias.

“#NHL Bruins are hiring Matt McIlvane as an assistant coach, per sources. Spent last three seasons as HC of @sggullsAHL, ANA’s AHL affiliate.” Macias wrote on X.

McIlvane has an established NHL career, as the Ottawa Senators originally took him in the 2004 NHL Draft. However, he never made it to the NHL. Instead, he chose a different path, playing for NHL affiliates, among other teams in the lower levels. McIlvane  became a coach in 2011 for the Danville Dashers.

McIlvane led the EX Red Bull Salzburg, a team in Austria, to back-to-back titles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Recently, he coached the Gulls, going 88-97 during his time in San Diego. McIlvane will replace Jay Leach, who was an assistant coach with the Bruins for two seasons. Notably, the decision comes as the team comes to a crossroads. After many expected Boston to struggle this season, the team surprised many and made the playoffs.

The Bruins hope to make some tweaks to the roster while acclimating McIlvane to the team. With David Pastrnak set as the cornerstone of the team, the team hopes to take the next step and advance past the First Round next season. With this coaching decision, the hope is that the Bruins can find what it’s missing and continue to improve, specifically as teams within their own division, such as the Montreal Canadiens and Sabres, get better.