The Boston Bruins have fired head coach Jim Montgomery, the team announced on Tuesday. The change comes amidst a disappointing start to the Bruins after general manager Don Sweeney spent big money attempting to upgrade the roster in the offseason.
Boston is 8-9-3 through 20 games, and the team just suffered an embarrassing 5-1 home loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night. That might have been the final strike against Montgomery, who was in his third season behind the Bruins’ bench.
In a lengthy statement, Sweeney said the team’s on-ice performance wasn’t living up to expectations. Sweeney also expressed confidence in interim head coach Joe Sacco.
“Our team’s inconsistency and performance in the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season has been concerning and below how the Bruins want to reward our fans. 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. We will continue to work to make the necessary adjustments to meet the standard and performance our supportive fans expect.”
The Bruins hired Montgomery in 2022, and he immediately led the team to the greatest regular season in NHL history with 65 wins and 135 points, and the league’s Presidents’ Trophy that goes along with that accomplishment. That postseason, Boston blew a 3-1 lead to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers in the first round.
Last season, Boston still put up 109 points under Montgomery and defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs. Then, for the second year in a row, the Bruins came up short in a seven-game series against the Panthers.
Sweeney signed center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov to big contracts over the summer in hopes of making a deep playoff run this season. However, the new additions have failed to click, and the rest of the roster hasn’t been able to pick up enough of the slack.
Montgomery leaves the Bruins with an overall record of 120-41-23.
Sacco will now try to get the Bruins back on track in his first head coaching gig since his four-year stint with the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-2013. He went 130-134-30 with one playoff appearance in that time.
The Boston Bruins made a shocking decision to terminate head coach Jim Montgomery after a disappointing start to the season. Montgomery, who was hired in the offseason to lead the team, was let go after the Bruins stumbled out of the gate with a record well below expectations.
The decision to part ways with Montgomery comes as a surprise to many, as he was seen as a promising young coach with a strong track record of success in the NHL. However, the Bruins front office felt that a change was necessary in order to shake up the team and get them back on track.
Under Montgomery’s leadership, the Bruins struggled to find consistency on both ends of the ice. The team’s offense sputtered at times, while their defense was porous and allowed too many goals. This lack of performance ultimately led to the decision to make a coaching change.
In a statement released by the Bruins organization, general manager Don Sweeney expressed his gratitude for Montgomery’s efforts but emphasized the need for a new direction. Sweeney stated, “We appreciate everything that Jim has done for our team, but we feel that a change is necessary at this time. We believe that a new voice behind the bench will help us get back on track and reach our full potential.”
The search for a new head coach is now underway, with several candidates being considered for the position. The Bruins are hopeful that a new leader will be able to instill a sense of urgency and discipline in the team, as well as implement a winning strategy that will lead to success on the ice.
As the Bruins move forward from this coaching change, fans are left wondering what the future holds for their beloved team. Will a new coach be able to turn things around and lead the Bruins to victory? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain – the pressure is on for the Boston Bruins to perform at a higher level and live up to their potential.
