Bruins GM Don Sweeney told the Boston Herald that the team is starting the process of narrowing down candidates for head coach.

The Bruins’ search for a new coach is underway and it appears they’ve narrowed down their list. In a phone conversation with the Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy, general manager Don Sweeney confirmed he was no longer waiting on candidates who are still coaching in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Boston Bruins didn’t just cut around the edges at the 2025 trade deadline—they pulled from the core. Defenseman Brandon Carlo, a fixture on the team’s blue line for years, was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a move that caught many off guard.

NHL insider Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic links the Boston Bruins to offer sheeting a star young forward to weaken their rival.

In dealing Marchand, Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic and a fifth-rounder at the deadline, the Bruins landed two first-round picks, two second-round picks, two fourth-round picks, Fraser Minten, Casey Mittelstadt and more.

NHL sources say Rick Tocchet passed on the Bruins’ head coaching job due to Don Sweeney’s uncertain future and a history of short coaching tenures Tocchet reportedly viewed Boston’s front office as unstable,

It was a somewhat controversial trade deadline among fans in Boston, who saw the team part ways with longtime forward Brad Marchand, who was dealt to the Florida Panthers. The team also offloaded veterans such as Trent Frederic, Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle, among others.