On Sunday (Nov. 24), former Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery found his new job just five days after being let go by the Original Six club. He landed a five-year contract to be the new head coach of the St. Louis Blues.
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While speaking to reporters, including The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong was very honest about why he hired Montgomery.
Here is what Armstrong said on the matter:
"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."
Jim Montgomery
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It is not particularly surprising that the Blues primarily hired Montgomery because of his excellent coaching ability. He had great success with the Bruins, posting a 180-84-33 record in two years and some change as the club's bench boss. He also, of course, led them to an NHL-record 65 wins in 2022-23.
It will now be fascinating to see if Montgomery can help turn the Blues around. They have had a tough start to the campaign, as their 9-12-1 record effectively demonstrates.
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