Jay Christopher Leach (born September 2, 1979) is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

player and currently the assistant coach of the

Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...

in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL). He is a former captain of the

Albany Devils The Albany Devils were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The top affiliate of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the A-Devils played their home games at the Times Union Center in Albany, ...

Playing career

Leach was drafted in the fifth round (115th overall) by the

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...

. After spending several years in minor hockey leagues, he signed as a free agent with the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

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 Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

. On July 3, 2007, he was signed as a free agent by the

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...

. 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 The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center. ...

. Later, during the summer of 2008 he signed with the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

. On November 6, 2009, Leach was claimed by the

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

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. Leach was claimed off waivers by the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...

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 The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...

on March 11, 2010. He began the 2010–11 season playing for the AHL's

Worcester Sharks The Worcester Sharks were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2006 to 2015. Affiliated with the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks and located in Worcester, Massachusetts, Worcester, Massachu ...

, but on February 9, 2011, he was traded back to the

along with Steven Zalewski in exchange for Patrick Davis and Mike Swift.

Coaching career

Leach became an assistant coach with

Adler Mannheim The Adler Mannheim (English: ''Mannheim Eagles'', formerly Mannheimer ERC) is a professional ice hockey team of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest-level ice hockey league in Germany. The team is based in Mannheim, a city in the northern pa ...

of the

Deutsche Eishockey Liga The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons called "PENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga") (; English: ''German Ice Hockey League'') or DEL, is a German professional ice hockey league and the highest division in German ice hockey. Founded in ...

in 2014, helping the team in winning their sixth DEL Championship. On July 7, 2015, Leach was appointed as assistant coach to Mike Sullivan for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, affiliate of the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

of the

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

. 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 John Clark Donatelli (born November 22, 1965) is an American former professional ice hockey player and is the former head coach of the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Donatelli was a long-time minor league player in the American Hockey Lea ...

. Leach departed the Penguins after one season, eventually joining the

Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the primary development team for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rh ...

as an assistant coach on August 4, 2016. He would be promoted the P-Bruins head coach position prior to the 2017–18 season. In July 2021, the Seattle Kraken announced Leach as an assistant coach to

Dave Hakstol David Hakstol (born July 30, 1968) is a Canadian ice hockey coach, currently serving as the head coach of the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). A native of Warburg, Alberta, Hakstol was the head coach for Sioux City Musketeers ...

for the Kraken's inaugural season. Leach is now looking for a head coaching job at a higher level.

Personal life

Leach is the nephew of both former NHL forward

Stephen Leach Stephen Morgan Leach (born January 16, 1966) is an American ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach of the Valley Jr. Warriors '99 Elite squad. He is the uncle of Jay Leach. Playing care ...

and University of Maine hockey coach Jay Leach.Television interview with Scranton coach Jay Leach, WQMY-TV, 12 December 2015 He was married to

Kathryn Tappen Kathryn Tappen (born April 9, 1981) is an American sportscaster. Tappen works on NBC Sports Group's coverage of the Notre Dame Football, '' Football Night in America'', Golf, as well as the Summer and Winter Olympic Games among others. Early li ...

, an American sportscaster; they subsequently divorced.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Leach, Jay 1979 births Living people Albany Devils players American men's ice hockey defensemen Augusta Lynx players Boston Bruins players Bridgeport Sound Tigers players Ice hockey coaches from New York (state) Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL) players Lowell Devils players Mississippi Sea Wolves players Montreal Canadiens players New Jersey Devils players Norfolk Admirals players Sportspeople from Syracuse, New York Arizona Coyotes draft picks Portland Pirates players Providence Bruins players Providence Friars men's ice hockey players San Jose Sharks players Seattle Kraken coaches Springfield Falcons players Tampa Bay Lightning players Trenton Titans players Worcester Sharks players Ice hockey players from New York (state)