On June 12, the Kraken officially marked the end of an era with the departure of assistant coach Jay Leach to Boston. Leach, 44, left the Kraken to rejoin the Bruins, where he had previously played and coached, taking on a role as an assistant under head coach Jim Montgomery and newly appointed associate coach Joe Sacco. This move leaves new Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma in need of a defensive specialist and an additional power play coach. Leach’s defensive units were consistently strong, and he was considered for several head coaching positions, including an interview by Kraken general manager Ron Francis to replace Dave Hakstol.
Francis confirmed that Leach interviewed for head coaching positions with the Bruins and the New York Rangers in the past two offseasons. Leach, who was still under contract with the Kraken, was allowed to move to Boston largely due to family reasons, as his family is based there. Leach’s history with the Bruins includes playing for Providence College, coaching their AHL affiliate in Providence, and a brief NHL stint with Boston. Bruins GM Don Sweeney praised Leach for his past success and player development skills, anticipating a smooth integration into their staff.
During his time with the Kraken, Leach significantly developed players like Vince Dunn, Will Borgen, Adam Larsson, and Ryker Evans. His departure completes the turnover of Hakstol’s original bench staff, with previous exits including goalie coach Andrew Allen and assistant coach Paul McFarland. Assistant coach Dave Lowry and goaltending coach Steve Briere, who joined before the team’s second season, are expected to remain. The Kraken will wait until Bylsma concludes his duties with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the Calder Cup championship before filling the coaching vacancies.
