The Providence Bruins are looking for a new head coach after Jay Leach confirmed he accepted a spot on the Seattle Kraken’s bench.
Leach, 41, spent the last four years in Providence, going 136-77-16. He was considered a potential replacement for former Bruins assistant Jay Pandolfo, who last week became associate head coach at Boston University.
Those first in line for promotions appear to include Trent Whitfield (five years as Leach’s assistant) and Ryan Mougenel (three).
Leach, a former defenseman who was captain at Providence College (2001), played 11 of his 12-year career in the AHL (499 games). He spent three years in the Bruins’ organization, appearing in two games with the varsity in 2005-06. He also saw NHL action for the Lightning, Devils, Canadiens, and Sharks (70 NHL games in total).
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He started his coaching career in Germany in 2014-15, on the Adler Mannheim staff of former Bruins assistant Geoff Ward. After a year back stateside with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he rejoined the P-Bruins as an assistant in 2016-17. He was promoted to head coach the following year, once Bruce Cassidy took over in Boston.
Matt Porter can be reached at matthew.porter@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyports.