Bruins hire John Gruden as assistant on Jim Montgomery's coaching staff
BOSTON -- Someone who used to play for the Bruins has been added to Jim Montgomery's coaching staff in Boston. No, it is not Patrice Bergeron.
The Bruins have hired John Gruden as an assistant coach, GM Don Sweeney announced on Wednesday. The 52-year-old Gruden spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach for the Islanders, running the New York defense under Barry Trotz.
Gruden now joins Montgomery's staff in Boston that includes Joe Sacco, Chris Kelly, and Bob Essensa.
Gruden enjoyed an 11-year playing career from 1993-2004 in the NHL, AHL, and IHL, which included four seasons with the Boston and Providence Bruins. He was drafted by Boston in the eighth round of the 1990 NHL Draft, and the defenseman played 59 games for the NHL Bruins from 1993-96.
Gruden also played for Ottawa and Washington during his time in the NHL. He played in 92 games overall at the NHL level.
He got into coaching after his playing days were over, starting as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2011-15. Gruden served as head coach of the Flint Firebirds of the OHL from 2015-16, followed by two seasons as head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Gruden won a title with the Bulldogs during the 2017-18 season.
Gruden was relieved of his duties with the Islanders in June, a month after the firing of Trotz. Now he's back in Boston to help Jim Montgomery in his first season on the Bruins bench.
