The Boston Bruins turned the page to their helm and transitioned in the middle of this season from Jim Montgomery to Joe Sacco, which presented a challenge for all parties involved.
Sacco, a decade removed from joining the Bruins as an assistant, accepted the role elevation in hopes of leading a much-need turnaround for the franchise. The 55-year-old, who played 13 seasons in the NHL, took a step back to reflect once Boston’s higher-ups pulled the trigger and offered a bit of what the change has since been like now 12 games in.
“When the change happened, obviously, it’s shocking for everybody, right?” Sacco told Andy Brickley on NESN’s “The Hockey Hub” podcast. “You lose a really good coach, even a better person. And then you say, ‘OK, it’s my job. It’s my opportunity to help this team get back to where we think it should be at that particular time.’ I’ve been with these guys for 10 years, not all these guys, but a number of them. … You can’t change who you are. You’re gonna change certain things about you have to make harder decisions when it comes to the lineup. There’s more on your plate. You have more things to deal with now than you did as an assistant, an associate coach.”
Sacco added: “Even though it’s a different role, you still have to be who you are.”
Boston, so far, has gone 8-4-0 under Sacco’s guidance. Most recently, the team bounced back from a rough skid in which it got outscored, 13-2 in two games and defeated the Canucks, 5-1, in Vancouver. That addresses some looming concerns regarding the team’s offense and net protection, however, there’s still plenty of work to do as the 16-13-3 Bruins move forward this season.
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Watch the full episode of NESN’s “The Hockey Hub” podcast here:
Featured image via Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images
