Bruins Management Makes Right Decision Firing Jim Montgomery
The Bruins made the right call parting ways with Jim Montgomery.
© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images - Bruins Management Makes Right Decision Firing Jim MontgomeryThis change needed to happen.
It’s never easy to make a coaching change, especially in the midst of a season, but the Boston Bruins had no choice. The team announced Tuesday that Jim Montgomery was relieved of his coaching duties and replaced by associate coach Joe Sacco on an interim basis. Sometimes, it’s not the coach. In this case, however, the Bruins have been so discombobulated in every aspect that the organization had to make a coaching change.
Too many times this season, Montgomery was at a loss for words. When he did speak his mind, it wasn’t good. The Bruins have lacked compete, determination and passion. General manager Don Sweeney made the timely decision to make the necessary change before it was too late. The Bruins have 62 games remaining in the regular season, and even though they are currently out of the playoff structure, there’s plenty of time to turn it around.
“Today, I made a very difficult decision with regards to a coaching change,” Sweeney said in a press release. “Jim Montgomery is a very good NHL coach and an even better person. He has made a positive impact throughout the Bruins organization and I am both grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to work with him and learn from him.”
While Sweeney praised Montgomery’s accomplishments in previous seasons, the GM explained it was the team’s inconsistencies and performance in the first 20 games that was a concern and “below how the Bruins want to reward our fans.” Sweeney added he believes in Sacco, who has been with the organization for 10 seasons and is well-respected among the players and staff.
“I believe Joe Sacco has the coaching experience to bring the players and the team back to focusing on the consistent effort the NHL requires to have success,” Sweeney said. “We will continue to work to make the necessary adjustments to meet the standard and performance our supportive fans expect.”
While Sacco deserves this opportunity and no doubt possesses the ability and experience to lead the Bruins, assistant coach Jay Leach could also be a big part of the organization’s future. He returned to Boston this season after three seasons as an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken. Leach helped mold and develop many of the current Bruins during their respective careers with the Providence Bruins. It’s likely Leach will be the next in line.
Looking back, I still believe the Bruins made the wrong decision when they fired Bruce Cassidy after the 2021-22 season and replaced him with Montgomery. Several NHL teams with and without coaching vacancies reached out to Cassidy after the Bruins let him go and he quickly landed with the Vegas Golden Knights.
It was crazy what happened next.
The Bruins made history during Montgomery’s first season behind the bench. The team amassed the best regular-season record (65-12-5) in NHL history for an incredible 135 points. Boston was a machine during the regular season. Montgomery allowed the players to play a freestyle type of game and they responded in a big way. However, it meant nothing because they weren’t ready to face the Florida Panthers and lost in the first round.
Meanwhile, in Vegas, Cassidy guided the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup championship.
The Bruins produced another solid regular season in 2023-24, but many believed the team overachieved and relied on its goaltending tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Again, Boston fell to the Panthers in the second round of the playoffs. After Ullmark was traded to the Ottawa Senators during the offseason, Swayman and the Bruins were at a contract impasse, and he missed training camp. After he finally agreed to an eight-year deal worth $66 million, he has not performed well yet this season.
Now that a coaching change has been made, it’s all on the players, starting with captain Brad Marchand, to clean it up and begin the team’s rebirth. The Bruins need to regain their identity that made this organization one of the best in the NHL. Again, it’s not always on the coach, but this decision is the right one, given the Bruins' current state.