Management Montgomery fired - Sacco named interim coach

[BB79]

we’re f***ed if they are thinking about giving sacco a real shot

Please dear God let it be on an interm basis until a better coach is fired from another team. Flyers are playing better so I doubt Torts getting the axe is likely soon...

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

So Sacco has had the answers all along and only now that he's head coach, will he reveal the plan for winning?

 

[HustleB]

Thank goodness. God bless Montgomery. I liked him but this had to happen in order to determine if a full rebuild is needed.

 

[Boston Bandit]

Felger killing Swayman for the Bruins struggles. "I'd trade Swayman right now. The problem is nobody else wants that contract."

He's citing 2 different articles saying Swayman has lost friends in the room, citing Monty who said he won't have many friends left if he doesn't turn things around (implying he's lost the respect of his teammates) and citing Swayman himself who last night said the biggest thing he lost in his hold out was the guys in the room.

Doesn't think it's about the money, but the way he handled it, his attitude and his priorities.

Fwiw.

He also said Swayman needs to sit and Korpisalo needs to be the starter, pointing to their records/stats for this season.

 

[EverettMike]

Couldn't disagree more. Culture is huge and has been a huge part of their success.

This year, their culture is broken. I don't know why that is, but it is.

Their culture led to how many game 7 home losses? How many talented young players pushed out because they didn't "fit" the culture? How many coaches quit on?

Like I said, Bruins culture is the most overrated thing in sports. They had prime Patrice Bergeron, prime David Krejci, prime Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara, and great goaltending. Talent was a huge part of their success and nothing else came close.

 

[Gordoff]

I’m technically not retired but collecting a large pension but in the witness protection program and can no longer divulge anything that could harm anyone

Sway lost me I’ll leave it at that

Monty lost me in the '23 playoffs, Golden Boy in the off season.

 

[Dr Hook]

I think Chris Kelly is PP guy. Talk about backwards.

It's definitely been at least PP, though I'd say more solid than that.

 

[pgm16]

All the best Jim. One day at a time sir !!

 

[DKH]

Monty lost me in the '23 playoffs, Golden Boy in the off season.

Wish him health, happiness, and future success but wasn’t happening

23 was a personal nightmare losing that series

 

[Dr Hook]

Their culture led to how many game 7 home losses? How many talented young players pushed out because they didn't "fit" the culture? How many coaches quit on?

Like I said, Bruins culture is the most overrated thing in sports. They had prime Patrice Bergeron, prime David Krejci, prime Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara, and great goaltending. Talent was a huge part of their success and nothing else came close.

I think there is something to the culture, but it has always baffled me that a core with 2 lock HOFers, one Bruins HOFer, and one likely HOfer couldn't rise the occasion more than they did. I guess the common denominator here is Sweeneely- but I find it hard to blame them for players bottling it in so many must-win games. There's no point in a "should haves" list, but it's pretty long.

So how do you fix it? Total house-cleaning starting at the top with Neely, and moving core guys out as and when you can through trades, contract expiry, etc?

 

[Bruin]

Can’t say that I’m surprised, this team showed zero heart and played like they didn’t care and that all comes from the top. This should be a wake up call to the team but for some reason I don’t think it will have much of an affect on them.

 

[jmon1313]

Felger killing Swayman for the Bruins struggles. "I'd trade Swayman right now. The problem is nobody else wants that contract."

He's citing 2 different articles saying Swayman has lost friends in the room, citing Monty who said he won't have many friends left if he doesn't turn things around (implying he's lost the respect of his teammates) and citing Swayman himself who last night said the biggest thing he lost in his hold out was the guys in the room.

Doesn't think it's about the money, but the way he handled it, his attitude and his priorities.

Fwiw.

Don't normally agree with Felger but I kind of see it from the players with Sway. I feel like they try harder for Korpi

 

[OV]

Perhaps Sacco is schizophrenic?

M - f*** you, skate!!!
T - I’m sorry, that was harsh. Rough day yesterday.
W - You asshole, he’s your teammate not your girlfriend. Make some f***ing space in the neutral zone.
T - Hey, hey, hey. There I go again. I’m soooooooo sorry. Think I just had a hangry hump day, you know?
F - Bagskate now! You shitty shitty shitty hockey players.

Could work, maybe?

Two coaches for the price of one. Genius!

 

[Bounces R Way]

Sellout streak broken => instant firing

Monty was totally out of answers, it was clear. Pretty discouraging the roster just quit on him like that after two fairly successful seasons. But that shit happens, not the first time in this league and won't be the last. And even with their dismal play they're still in a wildcard FFS and a lot of you are acting like the ceiling has finally caved in. It very well might and no question it's coming at some point soon but I'm not ready to throw in the towel for this season yet.

I know Jim had alcohol issues in past, DUI, rehab, Stars firing believe was related to alcohol

This seems like it’s purely hockey related? Noting extra curricular?

If you had watched the Bruins the last couple weeks pretty clear it's hockey related.

 

[jmon1313]

Their culture led to how many game 7 home losses? How many talented young players pushed out because they didn't "fit" the culture? How many coaches quit on?

Like I said, Bruins culture is the most overrated thing in sports. They had prime Patrice Bergeron, prime David Krejci, prime Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara, and great goaltending. Talent was a huge part of their success and nothing else came close.

The culture had been missing players like Lucic(Obviously not with the off the ice issues) and Ference for awhile. Vocal, loud, and won't back down. I know Mcquaid and Miller were tough and did their thing for awhile after, but they were missing that swagger Lucic had. The Chara Bergy core needed a loud on the ice presence as they both were lead by example players.

 

[Dr Hook]

If you had watched the Bruins the last couple MONTHS pretty clear it's hockey related.

Fixed it for you

 

[chizzler]

It was a necessary move. No if ands or butts. There was something wrong. Everyone has an opinion but nobody knows.

98.5 thinks it was the Swayman saga.
WEEI thinks it was the coach and they tuned him out. They were starting to go the wrong way halfway through last year

 

[Absurdity]

He didn't deserve to be fired, but he did because the team looks like a bunch of beer leaguers playing in the NHL. I think he deserves some blame for the way the Bruins are playing. They didn't take training camp seriously, they haven't practiced the PP, they can't make passes, they can't breakout with the puck, they can't get in position to shoot the puck in the offensive zone, they skate slow, they can't execute at all etc. etc. etc.

But a lot of that blame is on the players. Sacco is whatever, maybe they play better under him, but a lot of that is dependent on how the Bruins come out and play now that Monty is gone. For some on the team, they have quit on 3 coaches now. They don't deserve the benefit of doubt. If they continue to suck, Sweeney has to be let go so someone else can make the roster decisions.

 

[LouJersey]

Of course he would have gone 3/18 it would have walked him to free agency. Would have been an asinine deal to make. Saying they had crappy cap management going all in on a year they had a great team is pretty specious too.

They rushed the deal because July 1 Ullmark would have reset his no trade list. And then they would have had no landing spots for him.

None of that explains why they had no idea what it was going to take to sign Swayman. Apparently they figured he would sign a bridge deal without even finding out the facts. If they didn't want to go 8 years, trade him and keep Ullmark. They boxed themselves into a corner

 

[Bruinfanatic]

So isn’t that 3 Jack Adam’s award winners that have been fired by Sweeney?

 

[LouJersey]

17 days in the summer. Do you not get the point?

I think everyone knows your stance on Sweeney given you’ve been posting about it for five years straight. I guess have fun posting your anger over and over more often now. It’s Pia’s Super Bowl but it’s your time to shine too apparently.

So you're in agreement that Sweeney should be fired if they don't make the play-offs?

''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.”''

Hey Cam, if Sacco accomplishes the organization's goals, doesn't that mean that Sacco was holding out on Montgomery? Unless Montgomery had a closed door policy, Sacco didn't let Jim in on the secret formula.

OK so they see it as purely a coaching problem. If they don't rebound and make the play-offs and win a couple rounds surely Sweeney will pay the price, right?

 

[NDiesel]

Amazing a regular season record setting team can blow a 3-1 series lead and game 7 at home and people here are blaming the coach and not the players or the architects of said mentally soft team. Should the coach have some blame, of course, but most of the blame, stop it people it's clown shoes.

Blows my mind how many people, and lots of quality posters too, put that loss solely on Monty's decisions. The players simply blew it. They were unbeatable all year until it mattered

 

[KnightofBoston]

Lol yep. Ok.

Neely and Sweeney both need to go.

We’ll see how much of a real fan Charlie Jacobs is in due time

 

[LouJersey]

I get the frustration with Sweeney but there was no chance in hell he was getting canned before Montgomery. Sweeney has fired two coaches now and both moves changed the teams’ play for the better instantly. It’s easy to forget what Bruce did with the team when Claude got fired. They were crashing and burning and then they instantly went on a run when Cassidy took over. Monty’s amazing first season after replacing Bruce speaks for itself.

For that reason alone, I don’t mind the move. And I think it’s worth doing. But do I think this team full of holes, particularly up front, is going to suddenly turn the corner? Not really. Either way, Montgomery seemed to have no answers and that gets you fired in the NHL.

Agreed and nor should he have been, but they don't make the play-offs I expect him to be fired.

 

[chizzler]

None of that explains why they had no idea what it was going to take to sign Swayman. Apparently they figured he would sign a bridge deal without even finding out the facts. If they didn't want to go 8 years, trade him and keep Ullmark. They boxed themselves into a corner

They wanted back into the 1st round.