The Boston Bruins have made several coaching hires to fill out their development ranks today, including bringing back Jay Leach as the head coach of the Providence Bruins in the AHL. Leach was an assistant coach with the team last year, but will take over from Kevin Dean as the boss behind the bench. Spencer Carbery has been hired as a replacement assistant coach, while Mike Dunham has been brought on as a goaltender development coach.
Many hockey fans may remember Leach as a fringe NHL defensemen known for his size more than anything else, who played 70 games in a career split between several franchises. Retiring in 2013, his first professional coaching job came in 2015-16 for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he started as an assistant but took over as interim head coach after Mike Sullivan moved up to the NHL club. He’s obviously well respected in the Bruins organization, as he’ll take over at just 37 years old with very little experience.
Carbery spent last season as the head coach of the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, but has many years of experience running a professional franchise with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. He’s another young voice behind the bench at just 35, but has been involved in coaching since his playing career ended in 2010.