Jay Leach (ice Hockey, Born 1979)
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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, p ...
former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
player and currently an assistant coach for 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 (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(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 an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
. After spending several years in minor hockey leagues, he signed as a free agent with the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
's
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 (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The 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 some religions * 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. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
. 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 National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
. Later, during the summer of 2008 he signed with the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a 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 Conference. The club w ...
. On November 6, 2009, Leach was claimed by the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
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. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
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 (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
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
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a 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 Conference. The club w ...
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 par ...
of the
Deutsche Eishockey Liga The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons called Penny (supermarket), PENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga) (; English: ''German Ice Hockey League'') or DEL, is a professional ice hockey league in Germany and the highest division in German i ...
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. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
of the
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
. 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 current head coach of the Tipos Extraliga's HC Nové Zámky. Donatelli was a long-time minor league player in the American Hockey Leagu ...
. Leach departed the Penguins after one season, eventually joining the
Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Providence, Rhode Island. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Hi ...
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 professional ice hockey coach. Hakstol was the head coach for Sioux City Musketeers for four seasons, followed by four years as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of North Dakota. He wa ...
for the Kraken's inaugural season. 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 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 is an American sportscaster. Tappen works on NBC Sports Group's coverage of the Notre Dame Football, ''Football Night in America'', NHL Network's NHL Now, Golf, as well as the Summer and Winter Olympic Games among others. Early ...
, an American sportscaster; they subsequently divorced in 2014.


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 21st-century American sportsmen 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)