In a cruel twist of fate, St. Louis Blues' head coach Jim Montgomery watched his team have one of their worst efforts of the season in his return to play the team that fired him last season, the Boston Bruins. The Blues are now fighting near the bottom of the Western Conference, a year after Montgomery's run to the playoffs with the team he took over mid-season. It seems the new coach bump for the Blues has worn off, according to Jeremy Rutherford via X, formerly known as Twitter.
The media asked Montgomery post-game about the issues the team is facing, to which Montgomery said it was a matter of effort. When pushed further, the head coach offered an even bleaker outlook.
“I have to look at the film to have a better answer for you. But I know it starts from within … from everybody.”
When asked if he was surprised by the effort, he simply replied, “Yes.”
At a certain point, the questions have to go to the players in the room. They gave up on Drew Bannister last season, which prompted the switch to Montgomery, but now it looks like the new coach's messaging is going stale.
It wouldn't be the first time for Jim Montgomery. He led the Bruins to unimaginable heights during his tenure with the team, but just two short years after breaking the NHL's single-season points record, Boston moved on.
The head coach often has a blunt approach with his players, especially in the media. While professionals should be able to handle it, it's also a recipe for losing the locker room quicker than most. For Montgomery, it could already be happening.
