Rangers Steal Away Maple Leafs' Assistant Coach Target in Sudden Hire, per Elliotte Friedman
Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The New York Rangers are hiring Joe Sacco as an assistant coach, swooping him from a potential hire by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to multiple reports, Joe Sacco is joining the New York Rangers coaching staff as one of multiple coaches behind the bench led by incoming HC Mike Sullivan.
Sullivan parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the conclusion of the 2024-25 NHL season after missing the playoffs, hired days later by the New York Rangers to take on the same role as head coach.
Sacco is one of multiple additions to the Rangers bench, along with David Quinn and Ty Hennes as well with Sacco in filling out the coaching staff.
Joe Sacco Named As Rangers Assistant, Quinn Re-unites With Rangers, Sullivan
Joe Sacco comes with a wealth of NHL coaching experience he brings to the New York Rangers bench.
Sacco had previously been an AHL head coach within the Colorado Avalanche organization before making the leap upwards to the NHL with Colorado in 2009.
With the Avalanche, Sacco spent four seasons in charge before being fired with a 130-134-30 record, second last in points in the NHL.
After a season with the Buffalo Sabres as an assistant, Sacco would take a job as the Bruins assistant coach for a decade, before taking on the role of interim head coach in 2024 after the firing of Jim Montomgery.
Sacco was not kept as head coach, the Bruins earlier today announcing the hiring of former Boston forward and Los Angeles Kings assistant Marco Sturm.
David Quinn has experience in the Rangers as a former head coach with the club between 2018-2021, and took over for Sullivan as head coach of the United States Olympic Ice Hockey team in 2022.
Quinn spent two seasons from 2022-2024 coaching the San Jose Sharks, before joining Sullivan in Pittsburgh with the Penguins.
Ty Hennes is another former Pittsburgh Penguins assistant under Sullivan, having been with the team the past two seasons, having previously been in a skills role with the team.
Toronto Maple Leafs lose out on Joe Sacco As Team Looks To Fill Recent Coaching Loss
The move is a difficulty for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were a team that was expected to lake a look at Sacco.
The Leafs lost top assistant Lane Lambert to the Seattle Kraken, who named him as their next head coach.
Sacco, a former Leafs draft pick and alumni, has a history with the club as a player, and according to Elliotte Friedman, was a coach being targeted by Toronto.
The Leafs are not letting go of Craig Berube, but need a top name assistant coach who can ensure the team can be competitive, and has experience in coaching and understand how to win in the modern NHL.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 5 | 406 ANSWERS Rangers Steal Away Maple Leafs' Assistant Coach Target in Sudden Hire, per Elliotte Friedman Should the Toronto Maple Leafs hire a new coaching staff? | ||
| Yes | 181 | 44.6 % |
| No | 225 | 55.4 % |
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