Jay Leach (ice hockey)

Last updated
Jay Leach
Jay Leach.jpg
Leach with the San Jose Sharks in 2010
Born (1979-09-02) September 2, 1979 (age 44)
Syracuse, New York, U.S.
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
Tampa Bay Lightning
New Jersey Devils
Montreal Canadiens
San Jose Sharks
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
NHL draft 115th overall, 1998
Phoenix Coyotes
Playing career 2001–2013

Jay Christopher Leach (born September 2, 1979) is an American former professional ice hockey player and currently the assistant coach of the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is a former captain of the Albany Devils.

Contents

Playing career

Leach was drafted in the fifth round (115th overall) by the Phoenix Coyotes. After spending several years in minor hockey leagues, he signed as a free agent with the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins on September 26, 2003. While with the Bruins he appeared in his first two NHL games during the 2005–06 season, collecting no points and seven penalty minutes. Leach spent most of his time in the Bruins organization with their AHL affiliate in Providence. On July 3, 2007, he was signed as a free agent by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played in two games for the Lightning during the 2007–08 season but spent most of the season in the AHL. On February 26, 2008 he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. Later, during the summer of 2008 he signed with the New Jersey Devils. On November 6, 2009, Leach was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens on re-entry waivers from the Devils. On November 28, 2009, due to a high number of injuries to Canadiens forwards, Leach played forward instead of his usual defense position. [1]

Leach was claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks on December 1, 2009, and he played 28 games for the Sharks during the season. He recorded his first NHL goal in an 8 to 5 victory over the visiting Nashville Predators on March 11, 2010. He began the 2010–11 season playing for the AHL's Worcester Sharks, but on February 9, 2011, he was traded back to the New Jersey Devils along with Steven Zalewski in exchange for Patrick Davis and Mike Swift. [2]

Coaching career

Leach became an assistant coach with Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in 2014, helping the team in winning their sixth DEL Championship. [3] [4] On July 7, 2015, Leach was appointed as assistant coach to Mike Sullivan for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL. [5] Leach was named interim head coach in December 2015 after Sullivan was promoted to be the head coach at Pittsburgh before settling into the position of associate head coach on a permanent basis to new Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Clark Donatelli. [6] [7] Leach departed the Penguins after one season, eventually joining the Providence Bruins as an assistant coach on August 4, 2016. [8] He would be promoted the P-Bruins head coach position prior to the 2017–18 season. [9] In July 2021, the Seattle Kraken announced Leach as an assistant coach to Dave Hakstol for the Kraken's inaugural season. [10] On June 12, 2024, Leach agreed to become an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins.

Personal life

Leach is the nephew of both former NHL forward Stephen Leach and University of Maine hockey coach Jay Leach. [11] He was married to Kathryn Tappen, an American sportscaster; they subsequently divorced.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1997–98 Providence College HE 3208829—————
1998–99 Providence CollegeHE3318942—————
1999–00 Providence CollegeHE371910101—————
2000–01 Providence CollegeHE4042125104—————
2001–02 Mississippi Sea Wolves ECHL 7031316116101128
2002–03 Augusta Lynx ECHL6581119162—————
2002–03 Springfield Falcons AHL 90000—————
2003–04 Long Beach Ice Dogs ECHL30114—————
2003–04 Providence Bruins AHL30004—————
2003–04 Trenton Titans ECHL312111345—————
2003–04 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL2301133701110
2004–05 Trenton TitansECHL1102217—————
2004–05 Providence BruinsAHL62459921700028
2005–06 Providence BruinsAHL7151116100601115
2005–06 Boston Bruins NHL 20007—————
2006–07 Providence BruinsAHL732571281304413
2007–08 Norfolk Admirals AHL55381154—————
2007–08 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL20000—————
2007–08 Portland Pirates AHL2036930181017
2008–09 Lowell Devils AHL2424629—————
2008–09 New Jersey Devils NHL2401121—————
2009–10 Lowell DevilsAHL1203310—————
2009–10 Montreal Canadiens NHL70005—————
2009–10 San Jose Sharks NHL2811220—————
2010–11 Worcester Sharks AHL5014545—————
2010–11 Albany Devils AHL161348—————
2010–11 New Jersey DevilsNHL70007—————
2011–12 Albany DevilsAHL2102212—————
2012–13 Albany DevilsAHL604101463—————
NHL totals7012360—————

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
1998 United States WJC 5th70118
Junior totals70118

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References

  1. ↑ "Price gets another call; Leach plays forward". Habs Inside/Out.com. 2009-11-28. Archived from the original on December 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
  2. ↑ "Sharks, Devils deal minor-leaguers". Boston Globe . 2011-02-09. Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  3. ↑ Dougherty, Peter "Leach signs on as assistant coach in Germany" Albany Times-Union August 20, 2014
  4. ↑ "Mannheim takes DEL title". IIHF.com. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Jay Leach Named Assistant Coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins". Pittsburgh Penguins Official Website. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Jay Leach named WBS Interim Head Coach". NHL.com. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  7. ↑ Lakso, Seth. "Clark Donatelli hired as WBS Penguins Head Coach". Penguins Insider. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "JAY LEACH AND TRENT WHITFIELD NAMED PROVIDENCE BRUINS ASSISTANT COACHES". The Official Site of the Providence Bruins. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  9. ↑ "LEACH HIRED AS HEAD COACH OF P-BRUINS". AHL. 31 July 2017.
  10. ↑ "Jay Leach hired by Seattle Kraken". Boston Herald. 2021-07-06. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  11. ↑ Television interview with Scranton coach Jay Leach, WQMY-TV, 12 December 2015
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