Boston Bruins Head Coach Receives Prestigious Honor

Marco Sturm received the nation’s highest civilian honor in his home country.

Boston Bruins (NHLBruins) via X

The Boston Bruins are still well into the offseason, but head coach Marco Sturm is being honored in his home country. 

Sturm received the The Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany this month. 

“What an honor for the HC,” said the Boston Bruins via X. “Coach Sturm recently received The Cross of Merit on Ribbon | Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is the nation’s highest civilian honor for outstanding service to the common good.”

What an honor for the HC 🇩🇪

Coach Sturm recently received The Cross of Merit on Ribbon | Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is the nation’s highest civilian honor for outstanding service to the common good. pic.twitter.com/7i0A0Y6Yu0

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) July 20, 2026

According to the official website, The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany began in 1951 under Federal President Theodor Heuss. Some of the accolades that civilians can receive the honor for include political, economic, social, intellectual, and community work. 

He was awarded the honor by Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann. 

Sturm is headed into his second season as Bruins head coach. Last season, he led the team to a 25-27-10 regular-season record, a No. 4 seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and made an appearance in the first round of the postseason where it lost to the Buffalo Sabres in six games. 

Boston will open its 2026-27 campaign on Tuesday, Sept. 29 against the New York Rangers at TD Garden in Boston.

2026-27 Boston Bruins Schedule:

Sept. 29: vs. New York Rangers

Oct. 2: at Winnipeg Jets

Oct. 3: at Minnesota Wild 

Oct. 5: vs. Ottawa Senators

Oct. 8: vs. Utah Mammoth

Oct. 10: vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Oct. 13: at San Jose Sharks

Oct. 16: at Anaheim Ducks

Oct. 17: at Los Angeles Kings

Oct. 20: at Dallas Stars

Oct. 22: vs. Nashville Predators

Oct. 24: vs. San Jose Sharks

Oct. 27: at Carolina Hurricanes

Oct. 29: at St. Louis Blues

Oct. 31: vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Nov. 2: vs. Vegas Golden Knights

Nov. 5: at Pittsburgh Penguins

Nov. 8: vs. Florida Panthers

Nov. 12: vs. Montreal Canadiens

Nov. 14: vs. Minnesota Wild

Nov. 17: vs. Los Angeles Kings

Nov. 18: at Detroit Red Wings

Nov. 21: vs. Washington Capitals

Nov. 25: vs. Winnipeg Jets

Nov. 27: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Nov. 29: vs. Vancouver Canucks

Dec. 1: vs. Colorado Avalanche 

Dec. 5: vs. Detroit Red Wings

Dec. 8: at Florida Panthers

Dec. 10: at Tampa Bay Lightning 

Dec. 12: vs. New Jersey Devils

Dec. 13: at Carolina Hurricanes

Dec. 15: vs. Florida Panthers

Dec. 17: vs. St. Louis Blues

Dec. 19: at New Jersey Devils

Dec. 20: vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Dec. 22: at New York Islanders

Dec. 26: vs. New York Islanders

Dec. 27: at New Jersey Devils

Dec. 30: vs. Edmonton Oilers

Jan. 1: at Chicago Blackhawks

Jan. 2: at Columbus Blue Jackets

Jan. 5: vs. Buffalo Sabres

Jan. 6: at Montreal Canadiens

Jan. 9: at Detroit Red Wings

Jan. 12: vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Jan. 14: vs. Dallas Stars

Jan. 16: at New York Rangers

Jan. 18: vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Jan. 20: at Colorado Avalanche

Jan. 22: at Vegas Golden Knights

Jan. 23: at Utah Mammoth

Jan. 26: vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Jan. 28: at Ottawa Senators

Jan. 30: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Feb. 10: at Toronto Maple Leafs

Feb. 13: vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Feb. 15: vs. Anaheim Ducks

Feb. 17: at Calgary Flames

Feb. 19: at Edmonton Oilers

Feb. 21: at Vancouver Canucks

Feb. 22: at Seattle Kraken

Feb. 25: vs. Washington Capitals

Feb. 27: vs. Detroit Red Wings

March 3: at New York Rangers

March 4: at Ottawa Senators

March 6: vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

March 8: vs. Seattle Kraken

March 10: at Montreal Canadiens

March 11: at Pittsburgh Penguins

March 13: vs. Calgary Flames

March 15: vs. New York Islanders

March 18: at Philadelphia Flyers

March 20: at Nashville Predators

March 23: vs. Buffalo Sabres

March 25: vs. Ottawa Senators

March 26: at Washington Capitals

March 30: vs. Montreal Canadiens

April 1: at Buffalo Sabres

April 3: vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

April 5: at Toronto Maple Leafs

April 7: at Buffalo Sabres

April 9: at Florida Panthers

April 10: at Tampa Bay Lightning

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