Boston Bruins aim for a comeback with new coach Marco Sturm

Last season: 33-39-10, missed playoffs.

COACH: Marco Sturm, hired June 5. First-time NHL coach.

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 8 at Washington.

DEPARTURES: Coach Joe Sacco, F Vinny Lettieri, D Ian Mitchell, D Parker Wotherspoon.

ADDITIONS: F Viktor Arvidsson, F Matej Blumel, D Jordan Harris, F Tanner Jeannot, F Michael Eyissimont, F Sean Kuraly.

GOALIES: Jeremy Swayman (22-29-7, 3.11 goals-against average, .892 save percentage), Jonas Korpisalo (11-10-3, 2.90, .893).

BETMGM STANLEY CUP ODDS: 200-1.

The Bruins bailed on coach Jim Montgomery after 20 games last season and didn’t improve under interim Joe Sacco, having a fire sale at the trade deadline in which they jettisoned captain Brad Marchand, forwards Justin Brazeau Charlie Coyle, Marc McLaughlin and Trent Frederic along with defenseman Brandon Carlo. They finished with 76 points, last in the Eastern Conference and tied for the fourth-worst record in the NHL. This season will be a transition and then some.

The good: Swayman never really found his groove last season after holding out in training camp and signing an eight-year, $66 million contract two days before the opener. If he can post anything resembling his 2022-23 season, when he went 24-6-4 with a 2.27 GAA, the Bruins might be able to eke into the playoffs.

The not-so-good: The forward lineup for this season looks weak beyond David Pastrnak. The defense could be better with the healthy return of Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm, but depth beyond that is thin.

Blumel and Alex Steeves were the top two goal-scorers in the AHL last season. Swayman needs to bounce back from his off season. Will the team play without a captain after trading Marchand last season? If not, the elder statesman is Pastrnak, who may not fit the mold, with McAvoy emerging as the veteran with the most sway in the room.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

FILE - Boston Bruins new head coach Marco Sturm smiles as he speaks during an NHL hockey news conference, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)

FILE - Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak (88) watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker, File)

LONDON (AP) — Roberto De Zerbi wants Tottenham to keep it simple.

The new Spurs manager knows there's little time for anything else in a relegation battle.

“I don’t want to put confusion inside of the players. They have to be with a clear plan of the game and not too much instruction, not too much thinking,” the Italian said Friday at his first press conference.

"They have to play with courage, with personality and they have to fight. My demand is to show the right spirit I want to see.”

De Zerbi was handed a five-year contract — though with no escape clause if relegated — with the immediate task of Premier League survival. Tottenham is one point above the drop zone with seven matches remaining.

De Zerbi previously worked in the Premier League as Brighton’s manager and was most recently at Marseille, which he left in February after a disagreement with the French club’s leadership.

Tottenham's first test under the new boss comes Sunday at Sunderland. He's not overly concerned about implementing his style of play.

“What I want to do, what I want to achieve immediately is the character, is the right spirit, the right courage to play, to attack, because the DNA of this club, of this squad, is to find the goal, to score,” he said.

After a week or so of working with the players, he said “I’m more positive, for sure” about Premier League survival.

Spurs, the reigning Europa League champions, fired Igor Tudor after 44 days of an interim coaching spell that worsened Tottenham’s plight. Tudor was brought in after Thomas Frank lasted just eight months on the job.

De Zerbi paid them respect on Friday.

“I’m not better than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor because I consider them very good coaches,” he said.

"I try to bring my style, myself, my character, my personality, my passion to help the players. First of all, to show their qualities, because they have a lot of qualities and then to achieve our target, because the most important part now is our target.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Marseille's head coach Roberto De Zerbi gives instructions during the French League One soccer match between Paris FC and Marseille in Paris, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)