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Joe Sacco (ice hockey)

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Not to be confused with Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Joe Sakic.

Joe Sacco
Born (1969-02-04) February 4, 1969 (age 55)
Medford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Left
Played for Toronto Maple Leafs
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
New York Islanders
Washington Capitals
Philadelphia Flyers
Current NHL coach Boston Bruins (interim)
Coached for Colorado Avalanche
National team  United States
NHL draft 71st overall, 1987
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 1990–2003
Coaching career 2005–present
Medal record
Representing  United States
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Vienna

Joseph William Sacco (born February 4, 1969) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the interim head coach for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). His younger brother David Sacco also played in the NHL.

Playing career

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As a youth, Sacco played in the 1982 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Boston Braves minor ice hockey team.[1] He played ice hockey for Medford High School in Massachusetts.[2]

Drafted in the 1987 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sacco played for Boston University before joining the Maple Leafs. Sacco also played for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, and Philadelphia Flyers. In 738 NHL games, he recorded 94 goals and 119 assists.[3]

International play

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Sacco represented the United States national team in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2002 World Championships. He also played in the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Coaching career

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In the 2005–06 season, two years into retirement from playing, Sacco was hired as an assistant coach for the Lowell Lock Monsters, affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. On May 7, 2007, after two years as an assistant, Sacco was named head coach of the Colorado Avalanche's new AHL franchise, the Lake Erie Monsters.[4] Sacco then led the Monsters for the next two seasons and while recording somewhat unimpressive season's numbers with limited resources was credited with helping development of younger players to the NHL.[5]

On June 4, 2009, a day after Avalanche head coach Tony Granato was fired, Sacco was promoted and later introduced as the new head coach of the Colorado Avalanche for the 2009–10 season, a job former Avs great Patrick Roy turned down days prior.[6] After being projected finishing 15th in the Western Conference by most ice hockey pundits, Sacco coached the Avalanche to the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs posting a record of 43–30–9 in his rookie year of coaching in the NHL.[3] His team was eliminated in the conference quarterfinals after six games by the San Jose Sharks. On April 28, 2010, Sacco was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award alongside Dave Tippett of the Phoenix Coyotes and Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators.[7] Following the 2012–13 season, his fourth year at the helm, finishing last in the Western Conference and out of the playoffs for a third consecutive year, Sacco was relieved of his duties on April 28, 2013,[8] ending his eight-year association with the Avalanche.[9]

On July 2, 2013, the Buffalo Sabres hired Sacco as an assistant coach.[10]

On July 24, 2014, the Boston Bruins hired Sacco as an assistant coach.[7] In July 2024, he was promoted to associate coach.[2] On November 19, 2024, the Bruins named Sacco as interim head coach after Jim Montgomery's firing.[11]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1985–86 Medford High School HS-MA 20 30 30 60 — — — — — —
1986–87 Medford High School HS-MA 21 22 32 54 — — — — — —
1987–88 Boston University HE 34 14 22 36 38 — — — — —
1988–89 Boston University HE 33 21 19 40 66 — — — — —
1989–90 Boston University HE 44 28 24 52 70 — — — — —
1990–91 Newmarket Saints AHL 49 18 17 35 24 — — — — —
1990–91 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 20 0 5 5 2 — — — — —
1991–92 United States National Team Intl 50 11 26 37 61 — — — — —
1991–92 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 17 7 4 11 4 — — — — —
1991–92 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL — — — — — 1 1 1 2 0
1992–93 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 37 14 16 30 45 7 6 4 10 2
1992–93 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 23 4 4 8 8 — — — — —
1993–94 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 84 19 18 37 61 — — — — —
1994–95 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 41 10 8 18 23 — — — — —
1995–96 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 76 13 14 27 40 — — — — —
1996–97 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 77 12 17 29 35 11 2 0 2 2
1997–98 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 55 8 11 19 24 — — — — —
1997–98 New York Islanders NHL 25 3 3 6 10 — — — — —
1998–99 New York Islanders NHL 73 3 0 3 45 — — — — —
1999–2000 Washington Capitals NHL 79 7 16 23 50 5 0 0 0 4
2000–01 Washington Capitals NHL 69 7 7 14 48 6 0 0 0 2
2001–02 Washington Capitals NHL 65 0 7 7 51 — — — — —
2002–03 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 6 4 3 7 4 — — — — —
2002–03 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 34 1 5 6 20 4 0 0 0 0
NHL totals 738 94 119 213 421 26 2 0 2 8

International

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Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1989 United States WJC 7 3 1 4 2
1990 United States WC 10 1 1 2 2
1991 United States WC 10 1 0 1 6
1992 United States OG 8 0 2 2 0
1992 United States WC 6 1 0 1 4
1994 United States WC 8 0 1 1 14
1996 United States WC 8 2 4 6 2
2002 United States WC 7 2 1 3 2
Junior totals 7 3 1 4 2
Senior totals 57 7 9 16 30

Head coaching record

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NHL

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Team Year Regular season Postseason
G W L OTL Pts Finish W L Win % Result
COL 2009–10 82 43 30 9 95 2nd in Northwest 2 4 .333 Lost in conference quarterfinals (SJS)
COL 2010–11 82 30 44 8 68 4th in Northwest — — — Missed playoffs
COL 2011–12 82 41 35 6 88 3rd in Northwest — — — Missed playoffs
COL 2012–13 48 16 25 7 39 5th in Northwest — — — Missed playoffs
NHL total 294 130 134 30     2 4 .333 1 playoff appearance

AHL

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Team Year Regular season Postseason
G W L OTL SOL Pts Finish W L Win % Result
LEM 2007–08 80 26 41 6 7 65 6th in North — — — Missed playoffs
LEM 2008–09 80 34 38 3 5 76 6th in North — — — Missed playoffs
AHL total 160 60 79 ! 9 12     — — —  

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Ryan, Conor (November 20, 2024). "Five things to know about interim Bruins head coach Joe Sacco". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Medford's Joe Sacco begins next phase of NHL career as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche". medford.wickedlocal.com. October 7, 2009. Archived from the original on February 7, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  4. ^ Adrian Dater (June 5, 2009). "Spotlight turns to new Avs coach Sacco". Denver Post. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  5. ^ Adrian Dater (June 5, 2009). "Former players praise Avs' choice for coach". Denver Post. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  6. ^ Adrian Dater (June 4, 2009). "Avs hire Sacco as head coach". Denver Post. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Joe Sacco Hired As Bruins Assistant Coach". July 24, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  8. ^ "Sacco fired as coach of Colorado Avalanche after four NHL seasons". Denver Post. April 28, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  9. ^ "Avalanche fire head coach Sacco, after last place finish". ESPN.com. ESPN. April 28, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  10. ^ "Joe Sacco, ex-Avalanche hired By Buffalo Sabres as assistant". Denver Post. July 2, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  11. ^ Benjamin, Amalie (November 19, 2024). "Montgomery fired as Bruins coach, replaced by Sacco". NHL.com. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Head coach of the Colorado Avalanche
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Boston Bruins
(interim)
2024–present 		Incumbent
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