After a slow start to the season, Boston fired Jim Montgomery as head coach with the Bruins looking in a new direction just 20 games into 2024.
The Bruins have won just eight NHL games from the top 20 this season and after such an unusually poor start to the year, coach Jim Montgomery was fired.
2024 was Montgomery’s third year leading the Bruins and despite a record-breaking first season in Boston, playoff struggles in 2022 and 2023 left a bad taste in the mouth.
Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney announced today, November 19, that the team has relieved Jim Montgomery of his head coaching duties.
Associate head coach Joe Sacco will take over as interim head coach.
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 19, 2024
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney addressed the media Tuesday, explaining why Boston had to make the decision to fire Montgomery.
“Jim Montgomery is a great NHL coach and an even better person,” Sweeney said. “Our team’s inconsistency and performance through the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season has been concerning and short of how the Bruins want to reward our fans.”
In his three years leading the Bruins, Montgomery finished with a record of 120-41-23 (.715 winning percentage), reaching the postseason twice.
In 184 games, the #NHLBruins he lost just 41 times in regulation under Jim Montgomery.
41 times in 184 games.
Record of 120-41-23 for a .715 points percentage.
—Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) November 19, 2024
Assistant coach Joe Sacco will take over as interim head coach going forward, but the Bruins have yet to make any announcements about the search for a new HC.
“I believe Joe Sacco has the coaching experience to get the players and team back to focusing on the consistent effort that the NHL requires to be successful,” Sweeney said. “We will continue to work to make the necessary changes to meet the standards and performance our fans have come to expect.”
Sacco will have a long road ahead of him if Boston wants to make the playoffs this year and the first game for the new interim coach will be a game against Utah on Thursday night as the Bruins look to snap a four-game losing streak that at end led to Montgomery being fired.
