David Pastrnak breaks his silence and reveals his true feelings on the Bruins firing of Jim Montgomery

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Daniel Lucente
November 20, 2024 (5:16 PM)

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David Pastrnak recently shared his true feelings regarding the firing of the Bruins' head coach Jim Montgomery, and he is taking a lot of accountability.

Bruins GM Don Sweeney indicated to Ty Anderson, among other things, that stalled contract extension negotiations with head coach Jim Montgomery helped lead to the decision to fire him, on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Montgomery, who joined Boston as head coach in 2022 on a three-year, $6-million contract, initiated early negotiations over an extension with the Bruins at the outset of training camp.

Yet, given the team's poor start to the season, 8-9-3 through 20 games, and a large gap in negotiations, Boston decided to sack him.

Despite being let go from the team, he will still receive most of his salary for the season.

Even with the midseason shake-up, Montgomery's coaching credentials still put him in a prime position for a lucrative opportunity next summer.

His 120-41-23 record (.715 win percentage) as Boston's head coach is the league's best over that span, and his 2023 Jack Adams Award win further cemented his reputation.

Combine that with five seasons of NHL coaching experience, including his time with the Dallas Stars, and Montgomery will likely be a sought-after target across the league.

Bruins star forward David Pastrnak came to the defense of his former coach, placing the blame for the team's underperforming squarely on the players.

"This is on us," Pastrnak said, offering high praise for Montgomery's leadership.

The comments are especially pertinent from Pastrnak, who many expected big things from after his standout performance last season.

Though he does currently lead the NHL with 82 shots on goal, his shooting percentage is a career-low 9.8%, and his pace of 33 goals is a sharp drop from three consecutive 40-goal seasons.

This offensive dip has contributed to the Bruins' scoring struggles, as the team averages just 2.4 goals per game.

Captain Brad Marchand seconded Pastrnak's sentiment.

«This is a reflection of our play,» Marchand said. «If we had done our job in here, he'd still be here.»

At 36, Marchand is one of the few consistent contributors on the roster, along with Pastrnak, who are the only Bruins to eclipse double-digit points this season.