Medford’s Joe Sacco contemplates next move with the Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins season ended far too soon as far as Joe Sacco is concerned.

With his team missing the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons, the Medford native and Bruins interim head coach was left to ponder what the future holds, during Thursday’s end of season media scrum at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton.

Sacco had the unenviable task of steadying the ship, following the Bruins lackluster 8-9-3 start, which led to the firing of coach Jim Montgomery, Nov. 19.

Despite facing an uphill battle and enduring a rollercoaster campaign, the former Medford High Mustang was up for the challenge.  

“Overall, I enjoyed coaching this team,” said Sacco, 56. “It’s a great group of guys to work with. I thank the organization and the management for the opportunity that was given to me.

 “Obviously, it didn’t turn out the way that we all wanted it too,” he added. “There were a lot of moving parts, but I look forward to seeing what happens here in the near future. We’ll see where this goes.”

Sacco’s status with the Bruins remains uncertain as of last week, with the team conducting a series of exit interviews. The front office is expected to meet with the media on April 23, to discuss the season and any offseason plans.

A longtime assistant coach with the Bruins for over a decade, Sacco was tabbed interim head coach by general manager Don Sweeney. The Medford native filled in admirably, guiding the Bruins to a 24-30-6 mark, under some very trying circumstances.

Sacco is no stranger to the NHL head coaching ranks. The former Boston University Terrier previously served as head coach with the Colorado Avalanche for four seasons compiling a 130-134-30 record from 2009-10 to 2013-14.

Getting promoted to coach an Original 6 club, not to mention the team he grew up watching as a kid, was bittersweet.

“There’s lots of things that stand out,” said Sacco, who now owns a 154-164-36 career mark as an NHL head coach. “Obviously being back, getting a second opportunity at being a head coach. You look around and that’s really what you’re looking for, and you hope that when that opportunity comes you can make the most of it.” 

Under Sacco’s guidance, Boston got an immediate lift going 7-2 over his first nine games at the helm. With renewed focus on its defensive play, the Bruins also enjoyed a season-best four-game winning streak.

“I think that we got the team moving in the right direction,” said Sacco, crediting the work of assistant coaches Chris Kelley and Jay Leach.

Unfortunately, the squad was unable to carry that momentum into 2025.  Several veterans underperformed, with Boston losing their top two defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy to season ending injuries. An ugly 10-game losing streak followed killing any thoughts of a potential playoff bid.

Sensing the squad’s downward trajectory, Sweeney pulled the trigger on a handful of trades. He dealt away team captain Brad Marchand, as well as veteran center Charlie Coyle and defenseman Brandon Carlo among others, clearly putting the team in rebuilding mode.

“Around the new year it got away from us a little bit,” said Sacco. “We had some games where we probably should have grabbed some points where we didn’t. Then the (trade) deadline came and the organization decided to make some moves going in a different direction.”

According to Sacco, several factors contributed to the team’s tailspin.

“It’s about managing the puck, executing at the right times, game management,” said Sacco. “It just seemed like at times we weren’t able to sustain that solid commitment. Whether it be just execution or lack of details. Whatever the case, we weren’t able to sustain it over the 60 minutes of a game like we should have.”

According to Bruins forward Morgan Geekie, Sacco provided stability during some turbulent times.

“Joe is awesome,” said Geekie. “He was put in a tough situation for sure just with where the team was at the time. He did a great job of rallying us together.”

A bottom six right wing/center his first season with the Bruins, Geekie was bumped up to the top line left wing under Sacco’s watch. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound forward flourished in the role posting career best numbers in goals (33), assists (24) and points (57).

“It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t compete every night for him, because when we did, we had a great team,” said Geekie. “You saw that right after the (trade) deadline and around Christmas. I can’t say enough good things about (Joe) as a coach and as a man, how he led us down the stretch.”

Sacco’s head coaching run in Boston, is the latest chapter in an ice hockey career that has lasted a lifetime. 

A former Medford High Mustang and Boston University Terrier, Joe Sacco was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round (71st overall) of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. He enjoyed a 13-year professional hockey career playing for five NHL teams, including the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers.  He scored 94 goals and 213 points in 738 NHL games, hanging up the skates following the 2002-03 season.

Sacco began the next phase of his hockey career as an assistant coach with the Lowell Lock Monsters in 2004-05. After two years as an assistant, Sacco was tabbed head coach of Colorado’s AHL franchise, the Lake Erie Monsters in 2007. He led the Monsters for two seasons, before being promoted as head coach of the Avalanche in 2009.

In his first season at the helm, Sacco led an upstart Avs squad to a 43-30-9 record. It was a 26-point improvement from the previous year, earning them a trip to the 2010 playoffs. He was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach that season, along with Dave Tippett and Barry Trotz. Sacco spent four seasons in Colorado compiling a 130-134-30 record from 2009-10 to 2013-14.

After serving as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres, Sacco headed back to the Bay State. He bolstered former Bruins coach Claude Julien’s staff in 2014-15. He remained in that role under coach Bruce Cassidy and Montgomery. Sacco was promoted to associate coach at the start of this season.

A Mustang Hall of Famer, Sacco spearheaded a Medford hockey movement in the mid-80s. He led a handful of local products into the Division I college ranks and ultimately the NHL. Following his lead were Keith Tkachuk, Shawn Bates, Mike Morrison and Joe’s younger brother, David Sacco. The brothers played together in NHL stops in Toronto and Anaheim.

Sacco left his mark at Medford High. From 1984-87 he was the school’s all-time leading scorer in boys hockey with 230 career points. Bates eventually eclipsed Sacco’s milestone netting 242 points in 1993.

Throughout it all he’s never forgotten his local roots.

“I’d like to thank my family just for the support I got this year,” said Sacco.  “I’m the local guy here, so it was pretty special for my family.

“I’ve been very fortunate just finishing up over a decade here, being a part of a great organization,” he added. “I felt the Bruins treated me very well. They’ve been very loyal. I feel I’ve been loyal too. It’s worked both ways. I’ve been lucky to be in this business with the same team for this long. I feel pretty fortunate.”