Boston Bruins Named Trent Whitfield Head coach of the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League.
Ryan Ward Also was added to Providence’s coaching staff as an assistant coach.
Whitfield, 49, spent the past 10 seasons as an assistant coach at Providence, helping the club win four Atlantic Division titles and the McGregor Kilpatrick Trophy in 2025-26. Whitfield also served as an assistant coach for the AHL’s Portland Pirates during the 2014-15 season and as an assistant coach for the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen during the 2015-16 season.
As a player, Whitfield played in 812 AHL regular season games, scoring a total of 246 goals and 349 assists for 595 points. He served as captain of the P-Bruins from 2009 to 2013 and participated in the 2003 and 2013 AHL All-Star Classic games.
Whitfield also played 194 games in the NHL with Boston, St. Louis, Washington and the New York Rangers, scoring 11 goals and adding 18 assists for 29 points.
Ward, 39, most recently served as the head coach of the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) for four seasons, leading the team to a Clark Cup championship in the 2022-23 season. Prior to joining Youngstown, he spent two seasons as the Director of Player Personnel for the Tri-City Storm (USHL).
Ward also served as an assistant with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage (2018-19) and served as a video coach with the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies.
