Boston Bruins fire head coach Jim Montgomery
BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins have fired head coach Jim Montgomery, the team announced on Tuesday.
Associate coach Joe Sacco is replacing Montgomery on the Boston bench on an interim basis.
Jim Montgomery fired
Montgomery was in the final year of a three-year contract that he signed with Boston in June of 2022 to replace Bruce Cassidy. But with the Bruins sitting at just 8-9-3 on the season, general manager Don Sweeney and president Cam Neely decided it's time for a new voice to lead the squad.
"Today, I made a very difficult decision with regards to a coaching change. 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," Sweeney said in a statement.
Boston had gotten out to hot starts in the previous two seasons under Montgomery. The Bruins were 17-2-0 to begin his first season as head coach, and then started last season with an 11-1-1 record.
But Montgomery has been at a loss for answers as this year's team has struggled to score with any consistency. He tried changing lines and even benched top forward David Pastrnak for a period after some sloppy play, but nothing has given this team a spark.
The Bruins have lost six games by three or more goals, including a 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets on Monday.
Montgomery departs with a 120-41-23 record in the regular season and a 9-11 playoff record with Boston.
Jack Adams Award winner
Montgomery's tenure in Boston got off to a great start, as the Bruins put together a historic season on his first season on the bench. Boston went 65-12-5 during the 2022-23 regular season and set new NHL records for most wins and most points (132) in a season.
Boston took home the Presidents' Trophy after that record season and Montgomery won the Jack Adams Award as the best coach in the NHL.
But there was no run to the Stanley Cup, as Boston lost in the first round of the NHL Playoffs to the Florida Panthers. The Bruins had a 3-1 lead in the series, but collapsed and lost the next three games, including Game 7 at TD Garden, 4-3, in overtime.
Jim Montgomery's playoff struggles
The Bruins bounced back well from that playoff collapse and went 47-20-15 during the 2023-24 regular season. They won their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite nearly letting another 3-1 series lead slip away. The Bruins dropped both Games 5 and 6, but escaped the opening round with a 2-1 overtime win in Game 7.
But the Panthers were waiting for them in the second round, and dispatched Boston in six games. The Bruins scored just four goals in the final three games, and lost all three home games in the series.
Who is Joe Sacco?
Sacco is a Medford native who played at Boston University. He went on to play 13 seasons in the NHL with Philadelphia, Washington, N.Y. Islanders, Anaheim and Toronto.
Before joining the Bruins coaching staff in 2014, Sacco was the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-2013 and an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres for a year.
"I'm supportive of Don's decision to address our current play and performance. Joe Sacco has a wealth of experience and knowledge of our roster and can help lead our team in the right direction," Neely said. "He has a strong understanding of our standards and expectations, and I trust he will do all he can to accomplish our organization's goals this season."
