{"id":374206,"date":"2025-12-27T02:49:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T02:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/374206\/"},"modified":"2025-12-27T02:49:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T02:49:07","slug":"assistant-coach-jay-leach-believes-the-bruins-energy-is-infectious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/374206\/","title":{"rendered":"Assistant coach Jay Leach believes the Bruins’ energy is infectious"},"content":{"rendered":"

When he looks in the Bruins\u2019 space this season, he sees a group that cares about each other. A group that has each other\u2019s backs. It was not something he always felt during a tumultuous 2024-25 season that included a plethora of departures \u2014 the coach<\/a>, the captain<\/a>, and a cadre of veteran leaders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Leach credits Marco Sturm for helping bring the cohesiveness back to Boston.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest thing for us, I think, as the coaching staff has been, if you wanted to talk about from last year to this year, it\u2019s a marked difference in our attitude and our competitiveness,\u201d Leach told the Globe recently. \u201cAnd we have players in there that love coming to the rink and working with each other, and whatever it was last year, the vibe was not where it used to be. And Sturmy has brought in a level of energy that\u2019s been infectious and you see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Leach played parts of five seasons with the Bruins, Lightning, Devils, Canadiens, and Sharks, before hopping behind the bench, first in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, then the American Hockey League before moving to the NHL. He knows the burdens and stresses of hockey at the highest level.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the one thing I\u2019d also say, coming back into the organization and really as my first time as a coach with the Bruins \u2014 not the Providence Bruins \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of pressure with Boston and playing in front of that crowd,\u201d said Leach. \u201cAnd I think last year was really challenging for guys, and I think they felt a bit like they were on an island a lot of nights. There wasn\u2019t that camaraderie that I think we have this year. We\u2019re going to go through all the challenges. It\u2019s going to happen. It can be hunky-dory now. And then as we all know, it changes. But I do think they have a belief in there that when we go through the stuff that\u2019s not as fun, at least you\u2019ve got 18, 19 other guys that are willing to go in there with you as opposed to, I think, there was some of that was missing last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

A defenseman by trade, Leach works with the Bruins blue liners and also organizes the club\u2019s penalty kill. Preparation, as always, is a huge part of an assistant\u2019s job. It\u2019s a huge part of Leach\u2019s responsibilities, especially on game day.<\/p>\n

Prior to morning skate, Leach holds a penalty-kill prescout before heading on the ice. The Bruins run a diamond (or 1-2-1) penalty kill, which emphasizes clogging the middle. The Bruins are the most penalized team in the league, and the kill has had its ups and downs \u2014 ranking 19th at 79.2 percent.<\/p>\n

Sturm appreciates the passion Leach brings in his teaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see those guys take a lot of pride in what they do, and you can tell on the penalty kill, when it\u2019s good and when it\u2019s bad, [Leach is] all in,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cHe works extremely hard. He wants to be the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leach had played some diamond during his days, but there are variations, and Sturm said Leach did his homework so he\u2019d have a firm grasp of what the coach wanted when camp opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I talked to him in the summer about that, I think he had to do a lot of research about it because yes, you played that, but also everyone has different jobs and the details in those diamonds these days, just a little bit different or the way I wanted to do it,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cSo, I think that\u2019s something he needed to get more information out of me or some other coaches around the league, see how they do it and what\u2019s important, what\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s not a full-team morning skate, Leach and fellow assistants Chris Kelly<\/a> and Steve Spott will run the drills.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of our skates in the morning are optional, so usually the three of us, Kells, Spotter, and I, will figure out what we\u2019re going to do,\u201d said Leach. \u201cWe\u2019ll skate them and then get them off the ice and then go home for a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leach gets back to the rink around 3 p.m. for another round of meetings and prepares for the pregame meeting with the players at 5:30.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll meet with the D a little bit then, too, just to get them prepared for who we\u2019re playing that night,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then it\u2019s on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @globejimmcbride<\/a>.<\/p>\n