The Boston Bruins fired Jim Montgomery on Tuesday, 20 games into the current season and two years removed from a historic season when he was named the NHL’s coach of the year.
The Bruins are 8-9-3 for 19 points, tied for third in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference. Boston is 31st of 32 teams in averaging 2.40 goals per game and is 28th in allowing 3.45 goals per game.
General manager Don Sweeney promoted associate coach Joe Sacco to interim head coach.
“Jim Montgomery is a very good NHL coach and an even better person,” Sweeney said in a statement. “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.”
The Bruins have lost four of their last five games, including home defeats to St. Louis in overtime on Saturday and to Columbus 5-1 on Monday.
“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,” Sweeney said. “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.”
Montgomery, 55, guided his first Bruins team in 2022-23 to a 65-12-5 record for 135 points and an .823 points percentage — all NHL single-season marks. He was honored with the Jack Adams Award as top coach.
However, the Florida Panthers stunned the Bruins in seven games in the Eastern Conference opening round in April 2023. Last season, Boston won its first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Panthers in six games.
In 184 games, his Bruins were 120-41-23 in the regular season and 9-11 in the playoffs. Montgomery also coached the Dallas Stars in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, going 60-43-10.
“On behalf of the Boston Bruins, we thank Jim Montgomery for his accomplishments and impact on our organization,” team president Cam Neely said in the statement. “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.”
Sacco, 55, has been with the Bruins as an assistant coach (2014-24) and associate coach this season. He was the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-13, compiling a 130-134-30 record.
A former assistant with the Buffalo Sabres (2013-14), Sacco also played 13 NHL seasons for five teams from 1990-2003.
“I’m supportive of Don’s decision to address our current play and performance,” Neely said. “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.”
