A bad start to the 2024-25 season and limited playoff success in the previous two years, combined with an expiring contract, spelled the end for head coach Jim Montgomery in Boston.
After Monday’s 5-1 loss to Columbus, Bruins management on Tuesday announced Montgomery’s firing. Assistant coach Joe Sacco will take over as the interim head coach.
The team had a scheduled day off on Tuesday. They’ll be back at practice on Wednesday and host Utah on Thursday.
“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,” team general manager Don Sweeney said in a statement. “Jim’s accomplishments as the Bruins head coach include a record-breaking and historic season, and I want to thank his entire family and wish him, Emily, J.P., Colin, Ava and Olivia all the success and happiness with their next opportunity.
“Our team’s inconsistency and performance in the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season has been concerning and below how the Bruins want to reward our fans. I believe Joe Sacco has the coaching experience to bring the players and the team back to focusing on the consistent effort the NHL requires to have success. We will continue to work to make the necessary adjustments to meet the standard and performance our supportive fans expect.”
Team president Cam Neely added:
“On behalf of the Boston Bruins, we thank Jim Montgomery for his accomplishments and impact on our organization. Jim’s open and honest communication with players, staff and management, as well as the positive attitude that he brought to the rink every day, helped lead our franchise to several on-ice accolades, including a historic 65-win season in 2022-23. We wish Jim and his family the best moving forward both personally and professionally.
“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. 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.”
The Bruins came into the 2024-25 season with a remade roster, designed to be bigger, stronger and harder to play against after back-to-back playoff losses to Florida. The Panthers lost in the NHL Final to former Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy in 2023 and won the Stanley Cup last year.
But after a disjointed training camp when Brad Marchand, Elias Lindholm, Max Jones and Jeremy Swayman all missed large chunks of time, the Bruins stumbled out of the gate.
They were 8-9-3 (fourth) in the Atlantic Division after Monday’s loss.
Sacco, 55, joined the Bruins’ coaching staff in 2014. He was elevated to associate head coach this summer.
Montgomery was hired in 2022 to replace Bruce Cassidy, who also didn’t have enough playoff success for the front office.
In Montgomery’s first season, 2022-23, the Bruins had a record-breaking best record in the NHL at 65-12-5 and he won the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s coach of the year. But Boston lost to the Panthers in the first round of the playoffs. After that season, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired, and to counteract huge salary cap issues, the Bruins traded Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno and didn’t resign Dmitry Orlov or Tyler Bertuzzi.
Despite those losses, the Bruins retooled with bargain pieces and still finished 47-20-15. They beat the Maple Leafs in the first round before falling to Florida again, but this time in the second round.
At media day on Sept. 30, Montgomery and Sweeney both downplayed the fact he was entering the season on the final year of an initial three-year deal. Sweeney said discussions had begun on a new deal.
“There have been talks,” said Sweeney, who didn’t reveal details. “Yeah, there have been talks of an extension.”
Montgomery’s record was 120-41-23 in two-plus seasons leading the Bruins.