Boston Bruins' GM Don Sweeney on firing head coach Jim Montgomery: "Change is hard."
BOSTON – Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said "change is hard," but he believes it was the right time to fire head coach Jim Montgomery as the team struggles early in the season.
Joe Sacco, a Medford, Massachusetts native, was named interim head coach following Montgomery's firing.
"I have nothing but respect and utmost appreciation for Jim Montgomery as a hockey coach, as a person," Sweeney said.
Don Sweeney on firing Jim Montgomery
Montgomery was fired after the Bruins got off to a sluggish start to the season, opening the year with an 8-9-3 record.
During his Wednesday press conference, Sweeney said he believed the problems with the team date back to training camp.
"I just felt our camp was just flatline across the board. To me, that was the first troubling sign. We were flat all the way through training camp," Sweeney said. "Whether or not they thought it was going to be easy, and the guys that had a really good last year come out and that it would just fall in place, this league is incredibly humbling if you have that approach to the game. And it'll expose you in a hurry. That's sort of what's happened to our group in that it doesn't come easy and you have to work harder as a result of it."
In the final year of a three-year contract, Montgomery was fired with a regular season record of 120-41-23 during his tenure in Boston. The Bruins went 9-11 during the playoffs under Montgomery.
Sweeney said the team held extension talks with Montgomery previously, but were unable to reach an agreement.
Joe Sacco's coaching style
Sweeney spoke about the differences between Montgomery and Sacco, who played 13 seasons in the NHL with Philadelphia, Washington, N.Y. Islanders, Anaheim and Toronto.
"Monty was a personable guy. Joe's very direct, very simplistic in terms of how he's going to explain things. Might not get in the weeds quite as much on a personal level. But he cares," Sweeney said. "He's been around here, he's got established relationships with each and every one of them. He's got trust with the players. The voice, and having to be a little more of having the bark and bringing it, that's going to be a challenge because you've had a different relationship with these guys. At the end of the day change is hard, but sometimes it's necessary. And Joe will have to adapt to that."
Sacco told reporters that the first thing the team needs to improve is its worth ethic.
"Right now, what we're looking for with this group as a staff is that they believe they're a good team. We have good players in this room. They're capable of more. It's our job as a coaching staff to get it out of them. And I think that starts with our work ethic," Sacco said.
"Bittersweet day"
Sacco said he has mixed emotions following Montgomery's firing.
"It's bittersweet for me," Sacco said. "I feel as a staff and personally me that we're responsible for what happened here. We have to take some of the fault and some of the blame for what happened yesterday. I want to make sure as a staff we try to correct this and move forward. I'm excited for the opportunity, I'm not going to lie. It's a great opportunity."
Bruins sluggish start
Montgomery's firing came a day after the Bruins were thoroughly outplayed on their home ice during a 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets. Columbus is tied for the third-fewest points in the NHL.
So far this season, Boston has lost six games by three or more goals.
The Bruins are off again on Wednesday before returning to the ice Thursday at TD Garden against Utah.