The St. Louis Blues made another coaching change almost a year ago when they fired Craig Berube. However, this time, the Blues fired Berube’s replacement, Drew Bannister, in favor of Jim Montgomery, a recently fired coach from Boston.
NHL News: Boston Bruins Fire Head Coach Jim Montgomery
Five days ago, the Bruins organization let Montgomery go, and there were rumblings about where he could land. Maybe he would be an assistant with a team in his hometown. But most speculated he would be behind the bench again as the head man.
Nobody thought it would be this quick. Drew Bannister got 22 games as the Blues’ official head coach. Remember, when he took over, general manager Doug Armstrong only made Bannister the interim head coach. While the Blues fell short of the playoffs by six points, Armstrong probably thought Bannister was not the guy.
So it begs the question and makes you wonder if the Blues wanted Jim Montgomery all along. Given what Armstrong said yesterday, it makes sense if you really think about it.
This goes back to last spring. Again, it does not feel like Bannister was the guy because Armstrong wanted a veteran coach in there from the start. But that guy did not become available. Whether it was Mike Sullivan from Pittsburgh, Montgomery from Boston, Gerard Gallant, Jay Woodcroft, or Todd McLellan, Armstrong wanted a veteran guy there.
Great to see that he got a long term deal w/ the Blues. you almost wonder if the Blues wanted a veteran coach like a Sullivan had #letsgopens made a move at the end of last yr. Speculation by me but you wonder w/ this move. #stlblues @myNHLTradeRumor @FullPressNHL @TheRGMedia https://t.co/GeGcRQXulH
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) November 24, 2024
There has been speculation that the Blues were eyeing Montgomery dating back to the Toronto Maple Leafs first-round playoff series against the Bruins. Had Boston not won Game 7 in overtime, the feeling was that Jim Montgomery would be fired, and St. Louis would hire him.
NHL Rumors: Did the Boston Bruins Want To Extend Jim Montgomery
The timeline of events makes sense. Drew Bannister was promoted to full-time coach on May 8th, three days after the Bruins beat the Maple Leafs. Montgomery saved his job for the time being.
Then the minute the guy you want is fired, you start working the phones to get him there. So it was clear from the start that Armstrong wanted Montgomery. Plus, Armstrong had some choice words about his admiration for Montgomery and what he could do at Sunday’s press conference.
Army: “When I woke up Wednesday morning, there was no inclination to make a coaching change. When Jim got let go in Boston, (he) certainly was someone I’ve respected, someone I admired, someone I felt had all the attributes to be a long-term coach for the Blues. (MORE)
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) November 24, 2024
Army: “This was more of an opportunity to get someone of Jim’s caliber than anything else. This decision was based, I would say, almost 100 percent on having someone of Jim’s caliber become available when I didn’t know that was going to happen.” #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) November 24, 2024
It seems that NHL General Managers these days are being more honest. Armstrong felt he needed someone like Jim Montgomery to turn the Blues around, but the timing was odd and strange. Again, it makes you wonder.
Almost makes you wonder about the reports earlier and what I had to say about a veteran coach. They wanted him back in May and this only confirms it. If Boston lost Monty probably a St Louis Blue in the spring and not now #stlblues @FullPressNHL @myNHLTradeRumor @TheRGMedia https://t.co/WjFYz4kDVQ
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) November 24, 2024
There have been reports that Montgomery and the Bruins were working on a deal. Again, details of what the deal was or would not have been outlined, but the Bruins did not want to offer him a long-term deal. That questions whether Boston wanted to keep Jim Montgomery as their head coach. And did Montgomery really want to stay with no say in the roster and coaches?
It feels like Bannister did not get a fair shake with a roster that suffered losses to Philip Broberg and Robert Thomas. The goaltending has been subpar lately, but this roster and group of players almost made the playoffs last season.
NHL Rumors: St. Louis Blues, and the Chicago Blackhawks
Was it the coach’s fault, or did the general manager’s main target from last year become available and he swooped in to get the guy he wanted? It feels like the latter so that he could have Jim Montgomery and Claude Julien on the bench.
If the reports are right, Bannister just kept the seat warm until Doug Armstrong could find Jim Montgomery. He did, and now he has his guy for five years.
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