Assistant coach Jay Leach is enjoying a strong season with the Seattle Kraken.
With the Kraken's surprising first-round, seven-game upset of the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, Leach and the Kraken are currently tied, 1-1, in their second-round series with the Dallas Stars.
The Leach File
- Born: September 2, 1979, Syracuse, New York, U.S.
- Currently: Serving as an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken since the 2021-22 season
- 2015-16: Served as assistant coach for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2015-16 season, served as interim head coach for three games (2-0-1)
- 2016-17: Served as assistant head coach for Providence Bruins
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2017-21: Served as head coach of the Providence Bruins, compiling
136-77-26 record, making playoffs in two of four seasons
So who is he and what does his coaching candidacy look like?
While the Blue Jackets have said they are not in a rush to decide on a coach, because they want to see which candidates could later be available as the playoffs roll on, and because of the Kraken's playoff success, it could be a little while before Jackets are able to talk to Leach.
Prior to his time in the NHL with Seattle, the 43-year-old Leach was an assistant coach inside the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, working with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 2015-16, he served as interim head coach for three games, going 2-0-1, taking over for Mike Sullivan who was hired to take over behind the Penguins' bench at the NHL level.
Clark Donatelli was named the permanent head coach for the rest of the season in Wilkes-Barre and Leach became an associate coach under Donatelli. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lost in the second round of the playoffs.
In 2016-17, Leach was the assistant coach for the Providence Bruins. He took over as head coach from 2017-21 after previous head coach Kevin Dean joined Bruce Cassidy's staff with the Boston Bruins. As the head coach in Providence, Leach compiled a 136-77-26 mark, making the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. There were no AHL playoffs due to COVID in the 2019-20 season.
Jay Leach, HockeyDB.com
Leach was a finalist for the Bruins head coaching vacancy last off-season before the gig went to Jim Montgomery. Under head coach Dave Hakstol in Seattle, Leach, a former defenseman as a player, is responsible for the Kraken defenseman. As NHL.com said at the time of the hire, Leach helped develop Bruins' defensemen, Charlie McAvoy, Jeremy Lauzon, and Connor Clifton.
Great to see Jay Leach helping Kraken topple defending champs
— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) May 1, 2023
During the regular season, the Kraken were tied for 15th in the league with the Tampa Bay Lightning in goals allowed per game (3.07).
Leach has experience behind the bench in a variety of roles and now he's getting experience at the NHL level. Given his age, he should be able to relate to the Blue Jackets' young core and the modern NHL game.
Where would he be on your list?
