NHL head coaches speak out in support of Jim Montgomery after shocking firing
Several NHL head coaches including Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss Craig Berube have shown support for Jim Montgomery after he was fired this week.
The Bruins let Montgomery go just a quarter of the way into the season yesterday.
The move came after the team put up an 8-9-3 record through 20 games, their worst start in quite some time.
Still, though, the move initiated shockwaves that propagated throughout the league last night and into this morning.
Other head coaches around the league have begun to share their thoughts on the situation.
One coach who said something was Craig Berube, now with the Maple Leafs but formerly co-workers with Montgomery.
The veteran coach was a part of Berube's staff in St. Louis for some time before Montgomery took over the job in Boston.
Berube was not happy about the move, calling it 'personal' and saying how tough this league is, especially when it comes to coaches, who are more easily replaced than the players.
«It's upsetting, and we brought Monty into St. Louis to work with us for a couple of years, and he was fantastic. You know, I feel for coaches, and it's a tough business. It is. This one's more personal for me.»
Another coach who spoke out after the firing was Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Notably, Cassidy was the previous coach in Boston, the very same man that Montgomery replaced after he was let go in the summer of 2022.
The much-respected coach noted that he 'feels' for Montgomery in this tough time. After all, he knows exactly what it is like to be in his position.
Interestingly, the Bruins have developed a pattern of firing very good coaches.
Cassidy, the coach Montgomery replaced was one of the best coaches in team history based on points percentage.
Shockingly, Montgomery put together an even more impressive run with the team.
While Montgomery did not last as long in the position as Cassidy did, he put up an even higher points percentage, securing a staggering 71.5% of all possible points in his tenure with the team.
Gregor asks a very good question here. Why would the Bruins fire two coaches in a row when they have such good records?
Bruins forward David Pastrnak took responsibility himself, saying that it is on the players to perform to their coaches' expectations.
Hopefully, then, the players will pick things up. Otherwise, the next coach could be gone just as soon as he arrives.
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