Bruins' Marco Sturm reveals prior interview with $1.35B franchise ahead of being named Boston's head coach

Before getting the head coaching role with the Boston Bruins, Marco Sturm went through a full NHL interview process. On Episode 575 of Spittin’ Chiclets, Sturm revealed that he interviewed with the San Jose Sharks, valued at $1.35 billion as per Forbes, the year before. That experience helped him prepare for the Bruins' opportunity.

Sturm said the interview with the Sharks gave him a better idea of what to expect. He explained that he talked to several coaches beforehand, and many told him the first interview would likely be the most difficult.

"Everyone was telling me, this will not be your best one," he said. "Trust me, it might be your worst one. So just give you a heads up." (1:16:16).

Looking back, he felt he did okay but also learned a lot. He added:

"I thought I did okay, but you know what? I learned so much from last year, so I tried to get prepared a little bit different this year, and thankfully, it worked out."

That helped him approach things differently this year, and it paid off.

In June 2024, the Sharks chose Ryan Warsofsky as their new head coach. Sturm, who was drafted by the Sharks in 1996 and played over seven seasons in San Jose, later revealed in an interview with Eishockey News that he was one of the final two candidates.

“If you are among the last two candidates and then are not chosen, it’s a very big disappointment,” he said.

While he felt disappointed, he still believed in his ability to coach and hoped to find the right team in the future. That future came a year later when the Bruins hired him on June 10. Now with the Bruins, Sturm steps into a new role after the team missed the playoffs and finished last in the Atlantic Division.

Marco Sturm's comment after becoming Boston's head coach

After becoming the head coach of the Boston Bruins, Marco Sturm said he was excited for the role.

"I'm extremely proud and excited," Sturm said, via NHL.com. "I'm very honored to take this team to the next level ... When I saw Don Sweeney's name on my text, it was pretty special. It got me really excited. Of course I want to be an NHL coach, but this means more."

Sturm takes over a Bruins team that finished the season with a 33-39-10 record. The team struggled with injuries and lacked scoring depth. Offense outside of David Pastrnak was limited all year.