You can call him Jay... you just can't call him a Seattle Kraken assistant coach any longer.
Jay Leach (above photo), who joined former coach Dave Hakstol's staff before the Kraken ever played a game, has been hired to assist Jim Montgomery behind the Boston Bruins bench.
During his introduction as new Kraken coach last month, Dan Bylsma said he wanted to reach out to Leach and fellow Seattle assistant Dave Lowry. Even if that happened, it's not unusual for coaches to want to choose their own assistants.
Leach was naturally aware of that, as well as that he was passed over for the head coaching job when Hakstol and assistant Paul McFarland were dismissed in April. (We wrote about McFarland, who's since been named coach of the WHL Calgary Hitmen, here .)
“The Boston Bruins are excited to welcome Jay Leach back to the organization,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said in a statement .
“Jay was a very successful coach with the Providence Bruins where he greatly impacted our player development system, and he also brings valuable experience as an assistant coach from the Seattle Kraken. We believe Jay will integrate quickly and complement our current staff as he comes back to the Bruins to work with our defense corps.”
Bruins coach Montgomery added, "I’m thrilled to have Jay Leach join our coaching staff. Jay has an impressive track record at both the AHL and NHL level, and his experience connecting with players will greatly benefit our team.”
As the Boston Herald points out , Leach is also a head-coach-in-waiting.
"If history were to repeat itself, the B’s have another in-house head coaching candidate in Leach, who was highly regarded in his time in the organization, should things go awry for some reason. In the 2016-17 season, Bruce Cassidy, who’d been the P-Bruins head coach, was hired as an assistant on Claude Julien’s staff. Before that season was done, Cassidy replaced Julien after the latter’s decade-long tenure."
Bylsma and his staff are currently in Hershey, PA, watching Game 7 of the AHL Eastern Finals between the Bears and Cleveland Monsters. The winner will face Bylsma's Coachella Valley Firebirds for the Calder Cup championship.
When the Firebirds' season ends, Bylsma will turn his attention full time to the Kraken. CV assistant coaches Jessica Campbell and Stu Bickel are in the running to either join Bylsma's Seattle staff, or replace him behind the AHL bench.
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