Marco Sturm understood how special it was to be a member of the Boston Bruins during his five seasons as a player. But being named the new head coach of the Original Six franchise has brought about a whole new rush of feelings for the 46-year-old.

Marco Sturm, who played five seasons with the Bruins from 2005-10, was named the club’s 30th head coach on Thursday.

The Bruins were looking for a defensively responsible coach, and Sturm checks that box. Coaching in Los Angeles’ system, defense was a priority. During his time in Boston, Sturm was a responsible 200-foot player, and he’s tried to mold his own players in the same fashion.