Former Bruins Assistant Coach John Gruden Becomes AHL Toronto Marlies Bench Boss

By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter @BlackAndGold277

This morning the National Hockey League Toronto Maple Leafs hired former Boston Bruins Assistant Coach John Gruden to be the bench boss of the Leafs top minor-pro affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. The 53-year-old Minnesota native spent last season with the B’s for their NHL record-breaking regular season and failure in the postseason as an assistant to current bench boss Jim Montgomery.

Gruden, a former Bruins draft pick selected in the eighth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. John appeared in 59 NHL games while notching seven assists in his time at the highest level. The NCAA Ferris State graduate appeared in 118 games for the Bruins top minor-pro affiliate in Providence, posting 23-47-70 numbers. Before the Bruins hired Gruden, he spent four seasons with the NHL New York Islanders and, going back a little further, an extensive coaching career with the United States National Development Program and a stint in the Ontario Hockey League.

So the busy off-season continues for Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney as he and current head coach Jim Montgomery scour the world for the next assistant coach. I’m sure Montgomery will have serious input on the next addition, and with his resume, he’ll most likely select a coach that he’s worked with in the past and one that fits this current system moving forward. Best of luck to John and his family as they head north of the border to the Ontario Province.