Blues GM Doug Armstrong: 'Their Work Ethic Is Excellent. They’re Pushing, They’re Prodding.'

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- St. Louis Blues fans have been screaming at the tops of their lungs for weeks now that change needs to happen.

With the Blues (13-15-8) once again off to a slower than expected start this season, 10th in the Western Conference in points (34) and points percentage (.472), there have been calls for trades, demotions, and of course, another coaching change.

Since Joel Quenneville’s eight-year run as coach from 1997-2004, the Blues have had eight coaches since; Ken Hitchcock (2012-17) and Craig Berube (2019-24) have had the longest tenures, and since Berube was replaced by Drew Bannister and now Jim Montgomery, each has been at the helm for two years, with Montgomery in his second season after taking over for Bannister Nov. 24, 2024.

But in particular, this core group is on its third coach, and for Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, he sold himself on the concept that perhaps a new voice was needed before.

Not this time.

When he signed Montgomery to a five-year contract, Armstrong made no qualms about this coach not going anywhere. The on-ice coaching staff also includes Steve Ott (associate), Claude Julien, Mike Weber and Dave Alexander (goalies).

And despite the start to this season in which the Blues are dead-last in goals per game (2.44), most goals allowed (125) and largest goal differential (minus-37), Armstrong feels like this hasn’t been on the coaches for a change.

“Well, A) their work ethic is excellent,” Armstrong said. “They’re pushing, they’re prodding, but they’re like everybody, a little bit confused on why we can’t snap out of this. It’s a double-edged sword – everybody wants stability, but when things aren’t working, you make changes. So it’s like, ‘Well, you lose three in a row and you change the lines, or you lose two in a row and you change the lines, well, we’ve got no continuity. Well, like the coach has to make decisions based on what he’s seeing if it’s not working.’

“I think everyone is pushing and prodding and trying to figure out how to do it, being patient in some areas and not as patient in others. But we have created that for the coaches. The coaches have not created that for us. The instability in our line combinations has not been because they’re extremely successful and he’s saying, ‘Well, why don’t I screw around today and see what happens.’ It’s because we’re not being successful and he has to try and tinker and get creative. That’s the push-pull, but ultimately if we’re honest with ourselves, they’re trying to do it the best they can to make us stable, and you have to be willing to accept your change in how you’re deployed until we get stable.”

Finally, this falls on the players, which is why Armstrong recently said he’s open to anything and everything when it comes to player personnel if it comes down to it. But make no mistake, nobody is excused from blame here.

“Well, again, obviously when your winning percentage is (low), the general manager, like there’s nobody doing their job right now,” Armstrong said. “There’s nobody having a good year. Now if it keeps going like this, I sure hope the amateur scouts have a good year. But I can’t be satisfied with the job I’m doing. I don’t think ‘Monty’ is satisfied with the job he’s doing. I would assume the players aren’t satisfied with the job they’re doing. Yeah, it would be disingenuous to say, ‘He’s doing a great job.’ It’s hard to come out and say it with a straight face, ‘Oh no, they’re really doing their job this year.’ Our record indicates that none of us have worked to the level that’s acceptable.”

It ultimately comes down to the leaders to try and galvanize the room.

“We talk. They’re as disappointed, they’re as frustrated. They’re as angry. Angry at where we’re at, and they want this to change," Armstrong said. "To a man, they love St. Louis.

"One of the things that has been created before I got here is that we have a connection with our alumni. We do events with them. Our team does events with them: barbecues or whatever. Not a lot, but enough where they understand what it means to the city and what it means to them. So they’re disappointed and they want to get through it. They’re searching for answers too. That’s where 'Monty' and I and Alex (Steen), and everyone has to find a solution with them. Not for them, but with them because ultimately, they’ve got to do it on the ice. They’re extremely frustrated. But us being frustrated at them and them being frustrated at us isn’t the solution, do you know what I mean? Whether they want to or we want to, we have to work with each other, or else we’re not going to get out of it. The thought ‘Well, I had my man. This ain’t my issue.’ Whether you score six goals in a game and you lose, it’s still your issue if we’re not winning. They feel that. They certainly feel that.”

The Blues have two more games, against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, before the Christmas break hits.

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