{"id":131436,"date":"2022-08-13T16:06:20","date_gmt":"2022-08-13T20:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=131436"},"modified":"2022-08-13T16:06:20","modified_gmt":"2022-08-13T20:06:20","slug":"jim-montgomery-boston-bruins-head-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2022\/08\/13\/jim-montgomery-boston-bruins-head-coach\/","title":{"rendered":"What Jim Montgomery Brings to the Table As the Boston Bruins Head Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"

On June 6th,\u00a0Boston Bruins<\/a> general manager Don Sweeney<\/a> made a surprising announcement.\u00a0The team fired<\/a> head coach Bruce Cassidy<\/a>. The former Boston Bruins head coach made six straight playoff appearances and had an overall record of 245-108-46.
\nSweeney\u2019s search for the 29th head coach in franchise history ended on July 1st. Jim Montgomery<\/a>, former Dallas Stars<\/a> bench boss, was named the Boston Bruins head coach. Montgomery\u2019s second head coaching gig begins this season, so what does this mean for the Bruins? Furthermore, how will players respond to the new man in town?<\/p>\n

Jim Montgomery Has Opportunity for Success as Boston Bruins Head Coach<\/h2>\n

Boston Bruins Former Head Coach Bruce Cassidy\u2019s Exodus<\/h3>\n

Before the August 8th announcements of re-signing Patrice Bergeron<\/a>, the return of David Krejci<\/a>,\u00a0and the signing of summer <\/span>acquisition Pavel Zacha,<\/a> the Boston Bruins offseason had been largely lacklustre. Their most significant move was the June 6th firing of head coach Bruce Cassidy. After leading Boston into the playoffs in his six seasons at the helm, including one trip to the Stanley Cup final, Don Sweeney was faced with making what he called \u201c an extremely difficult decision.\u201d The Bruin’s General manager also commented on the decision saying,\u00a0\u201cAfter taking some time to fully digest everything, I felt that the direction of our team for both this season and beyond would benefit from a new voice.\u201d<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Cassidy\u2019s Questionable Relationship With Bruins Players<\/h3>\n

Many questions have been raised about the relationship between Cassidy and some of his players. Sweeney, however, insists players were not driving the bus on his decision to fire Cassidy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jake Debrusk, who saw time as a healthy scratch under Cassidy, ultimately requested a trade last season. After being moved to the top line with Bergeron and Brad Marchand<\/a>, Debrusk\u2019s production picked up. He ended the season with 25 goals, just two short of his career high of 27 set back in 2018-19. Since Cassidy\u2019s firing, the Bruins winger has rescinded his trade request, as confirmed by Sweeney on July 6th.<\/span><\/p>\n

David Krejci<\/a> also made comments back in January raising questions about his relationship with the former coach. \u201cCoach Cassidy rarely let the two of us play together. It had to be so that he split the first line and put Pasta to me. It was a maximum of two matches. Years later, I leave Boston, and suddenly it\u2019s possible. That struck me,\u201d<\/a> said Krejci <\/span>Rumours of a Krejci return also picked up at the time of the coach\u2019s dismissal, and the longtime Bruins center officially signed a new contract with Boston on August 8th. On August 11th Krejci denied that the coaching change was a reason for his return.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Former Bruin forward David Backes<\/a> also had remarks about Coach Cassidy stating on the Cam and Strick podcast that \u201cWe had different views of how hockey should be played\u201d he went on to add that \u201cHe was a smaller, puck-moving defenseman, and I tried to eat smaller puck-moving defensemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim Montgomery Officially Hired as Boston Bruins Head Coach<\/h3>\n

After three weeks of a search for the B\u2019s new head coach, the Bruins brass found the man for the job. Enter Jim Montgomery. Who, some may ask? Jim Montgomery. The 53-year-old, former Dallas Stars bench boss Montgomery, was named the next head coach of the Boston Bruins on July 1st.<\/p>\n

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New Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. pic.twitter.com\/yMwkAEfBpe<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) July 11, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n