Boston Bruins Head Coach Jim Montgomery was deemed to be a “player’s coach” and a softer voice after the departure of Bruce Cassidy who was not exactly revered by a few Bruins on his way out the door. Montgomery led the 2022-23 team to a league-record 65 wins and, by his own admission, did not have to coach all that much that season. The core leadership was intact with veterans with Stanley Cup experience.
After a second season, 47 more regular season wins, and a second-round exit, Montgomery is having to work overtime to get the 2024-25 to bring the same energy and competitive level as the two previous seasons and finding it difficult to remain upbeat and “friendly.” Montgomery has been more vocal in practices, more critical with the media, more stern on the bench, and even let his captain have it after a poor turnover in a recent game. Times have changed for the coach and the team.
Sunday night as the Bruins were on their way to a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken, Montgomery sent another message, this time to David Pastrnak. At first, a third-period benching seemed injury-related. But upon further review, a late second-period turnover by the team’s leading scorer might have caused a “timeout” on the bench for Pastrnak.
After the game, Montgomery said the benching was “a coach’s decision” and offered no further comment leading media and fans to assume the move was disciplinary in nature. If, in fact, Pastrnak was pulled from the game for the turnover or lack of details with a 2-0 win, then one might wonder, why now? After the Bruins have committed many giveaways over the course of 13 games and with Pastrnak leading the team in shots with seven on this particular night, could it be that Montgomery has been waiting to make a statement that this is his team and that veterans will now be disciplined similarly to young players? With Montgomery feeling the heat when the Bruins fell to 4-6-1 after an 8-2 drubbing in Carolina, was this the coach’s way of saying, “I’m not going anywhere?”
Whether the Pastrnak benching was warranted is up for debate, but what is certain is that Jim Montgomery has changed his ways behind the bench for Boston. Whether it is desperation or a last resort to keep his job, Montgomery is making an example of star players, which is something he would never have done previously. Whatever the case, benching Pastrnak on Sunday night was not just a case of a sloppy play, but more of a sign of no more Mr. Nice Guy for the head coach of the Boston Bruins.
