Joe Sacco

Joseph William Sacco (born February 4, 1969) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). His younger brother David Sacco also played in the NHL.

Playing career As a youth, Sacco played in the 1982 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Boston Braves minor ice hockey team. He played ice hockey for Medford High School in Massachusetts.

International play Sacco represented the United States national team in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2002 World Championships. He also played in the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Coaching career In the 2005–06 season, two years into retirement from playing, Sacco was hired as an assistant coach for the Lowell Lock Monsters, affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. On May 7, 2007, after two years as an assistant, Sacco was named head coach of the Colorado Avalanche's new AHL franchise, the Lake Erie Monsters. Sacco then led the Monsters for the next two seasons and while recording somewhat unimpressive season's numbers with limited resources was credited with helping development of younger players to the NHL.

On June 4, 2009, a day after Avalanche head coach Tony Granato was fired, Sacco was promoted and later introduced as the new head coach of the Colorado Avalanche for the 2009–10 season, a job former Avs great Patrick Roy turned down days prior. After being projected finishing 15th in the Western Conference by most ice hockey pundits, Sacco coached the Avalanche to the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs posting a record of 43–30–9 in his rookie year of coaching in the NHL. Following the 2012–13 season, his fourth year at the helm, finishing last in the Western Conference and out of the playoffs for a third consecutive year, Sacco was relieved of his duties on April 28, 2013, ending his eight-year association with the Avalanche.

On July 2, 2013, the Buffalo Sabres hired Sacco as an assistant coach.

On July 24, 2014, the Boston Bruins hired Sacco as an assistant coach. On November 19, 2024, the Bruins named Sacco as interim head coach after Jim Montgomery's firing. Sacco went 24-30-6 as interim coach as the Bruins finished last in the Atlantic Division and missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 2015–16 season. As the Bruins interviewed candidates for a new head coach, Sacco was among those involved. However, on June 2, 2025, it was reported that Sacco had been informed that he would not remain as head coach.

On June 5, 2025, Sacco was named an assistant coach for the New York Rangers.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1985–86 Medford High School HS-MA 20 30 30 60 — — — — — — 1986–87 Medford High School HS-MA 21 22 32 54 — — — — — — 1987–88 Boston University HE 34 14 22 36 38 — — — — — 1988–89 Boston University HE 33 21 19 40 66 — — — — — 1989–90 Boston University HE 44 28 24 52 70 — — — — — 1990–91 Newmarket Saints AHL 49 18 17 35 24 — — — — — 1990–91 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 20 0 5 5 2 — — — — — 1991–92 United States National Team Intl 50 11 26 37 61 — — — — — 1991–92 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 17 7 4 11 4 — — — — — 1991–92 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL — — — — — 1 1 1 2 0 1992–93 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 37 14 16 30 45 7 6 4 10 2 1992–93 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 23 4 4 8 8 — — — — — 1993–94 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 84 19 18 37 61 — — — — — 1994–95 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 41 10 8 18 23 — — — — — 1995–96 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 76 13 14 27 40 — — — — — 1996–97 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 77 12 17 29 35 11 2 0 2 2 1997–98 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 55 8 11 19 24 — — — — — 1997–98 New York Islanders NHL 25 3 3 6 10 — — — — — 1998–99 New York Islanders NHL 73 3 0 3 45 — — — — — 1999–2000 Washington Capitals NHL 79 7 16 23 50 5 0 0 0 4 2000–01 Washington Capitals NHL 69 7 7 14 48 6 0 0 0 2 2001–02 Washington Capitals NHL 65 0 7 7 51 — — — — — 2002–03 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 6 4 3 7 4 — — — — — 2002–03 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 34 1 5 6 20 4 0 0 0 0NHL totals 738 94 119 213 421 26 2 0 2 8

International

Head coaching record

NHL Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L OTL Pts Finish W L Win % Result COL 2009–10 82 43 30 9 95 2nd in Northwest 2 4 Lost in conference quarterfinals (SJS) COL 2010–11 82 30 44 8 68 4th in Northwest — — — Missed playoffs COL 2011–12 82 41 35 6 88 3rd in Northwest — — — Missed playoffs COL 2012–13 48 16 25 7 39 5th in Northwest — — — Missed playoffs BOS 2024–25 60 24 30 6 54 8th in Atlantic — — — Missed playoffsNHL total 354 154 164 36 2 4 1 playoff appearance

AHL Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L OTL SOL Pts Finish W L Win % Result LEM 2007–08 80 26 41 6 7 65 6th in North — — — Missed playoffs LEM 2008–09 80 34 38 3 5 76 6th in North — — — Missed playoffsAHL total 160 60 79 9 12 — — —