Speculation: Potential Coaching Replacements for Jim Montgomery (Monty out? Sacco in? Nov 19)

[Healthy Wrap]

It's downright depressing that we won't be seeing a thread like this for management anytime soon, because that would require ownership to actually hold them accountable. If it hasn't happened now, 9+ years into the Sweeney-Neely "brain trust" with the team advancing past the second round only once, then I'm afraid it's going to be awhile.

The Montgomery firing is inevitable at this point, and it probably is warranted. The players seem to have tuned him out. And while I don't think they're THIS bad on paper, the roster construction is deeply flawed.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

It's the lack of tension on the ice between his players and opponents that's disturbing me most. I don't mind losing, but the way they are losing is unacceptable

Agreed, but this is what it looks like when a team has quit on a coach

 

[Beyonder]

It's the lack of tension on the ice between his players and opponents that's disturbing me most. I don't mind losing, but the way they are losing is unacceptable

No question there is a lot of blame to go around. In season though, it's going to be very hard to make any significant changes to the team given the cap situation and what they have to trade. That leaves changing the coach as the more realistic thing to try. But your point still stands, a new coach has to figure out how to get more out of this group. This may not be a great roster (my opinion) but they are still underachieving.

To me it's unfortunate that the coach may pay a price, and the players are taking their lumps from all quarters, but the person/people who put this all together isn't likely to face any consequences until summer, if at all.

It's downright depressing that we won't be seeing a thread like this for management anytime soon, because that would require ownership to actually hold them accountable. If it hasn't happened now, 9+ years into the Sweeney-Neely "brain trust" with the team advancing past the second round only once, then I'm afraid it's going to be awhile.

The Montgomery firing is inevitable at this point, and it probably is warranted. The players seem to have tuned him out. And while I don't think they're THIS bad on paper, the roster construction is deeply flawed.

You beat me to most of my points! Agree across the board.

 

[Acie]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1858895919405477991

 

[Over the volcano]

Agreed, but this is what it looks like when a team has quit on a coach

No question there is a lot of blame to go around. In season though, it's going to be very hard to make any significant changes to the team given the cap situation and what they have to trade. That leaves changing the coach as the more realistic thing to try. But your point still stands, a new coach has to figure out how to get more out of this group. This may not be a great roster (my opinion) but they are still underachieving.

To me it's unfortunate that the coach may pay a price, and the players are taking their lumps from all quarters, but the person/people who put this all together isn't likely to face any consequences until summer, if at all.


You beat me to most of my points! Agree across the board.

I don't think they quit on him, I think they look confused/tentative on the ice and it's lead to a lack confidence across the board.

It's just bad coaching - beyond X's and O's, beyond who's on what line, its a loose and unfocused team identity that's crept in. That's on the coaching staff and team leaders.

As for the player leaders - Marchand came back early from surgery and missed camp. Swayman grabbed $ and missed camp. Pasta's struggling mightily. McAvoy's trying to step up but they keep whistling him for bullshit calls when he does. The new additions are trying to figure out how they fit a system where nothing fits.

I'm on team Sacco for right now- the players who've been here know him and what to expect from him. He'll give em a game plan they can understand and implement. The new guys will get a taste of stability. In the off season they can decide what to do longer term when they have some kind of sense of what this team can do and when more candidates would be available. For right now they need to stop the bleeding and bring some stability. IMO that's Sacco

 

[Patdud]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1858895919405477991

Marchand always hits his left shoulder when gesturing to himself like this, the C being there is just happenstance.

 

[Patdud]

Montgomery and Sacco need to both be fired, that much is so. But a real core player needs to be traded, Carlo would be the easiest, my preference would be Coyle, but ultimately someone within the leadership group, not a zacha or freddy, someone at the top.

Id also consider taking the C away from Marchand. the Coach ran a terrible camp and hasn't had the players playing at their best since the 2022/23 season but the leadership has gotten stale and lazy.

I also agree with Dom on his latest podcast, goaltending saved them 90% of the time last year, not work ethic. they were often outplayed for large stretches, even on the PK, last year they had the saves and this year they don't and they are 500.

 

[McGarnagle]

Montgomery and Sacco need to both be fired, that much is so. But a real core player needs to be traded, Carlo would be the easiest, my preference would be Coyle, but ultimately someone within the leadership group, not a zacha or freddy, someone at the top.

Id also consider taking the C away from Marchand. the Coach ran a terrible camp and hasn't had the players playing at their best since the 2022/23 season but the leadership has gotten stale and lazy.

I also agree with Dom on his latest podcast, goaltending saved them 90% of the time last year, not work ethic. they were often outplayed for large stretches, even on the PK, last year they had the saves and this year they don't and they are 500.

I'm not opposed to stripping the C if there's a better option, but who would you put it on right now? Pasta's been a complete ghost. McAvoy is establishing himself as a fraud. Coyle got caught on camera smiling while the fans were booing them off the ice. Carlo is having a pretty atrocious year in the defensive zone.

I don't think anyone is qualified to lead this team on the ice right now

 

[Raleighfern]

I'm not opposed to stripping the C if there's a better option, but who would you put it on right now? Pasta's been a complete ghost. McAvoy is establishing himself as a fraud. Coyle got caught on camera smiling while the fans were booing them off the ice. Carlo is having a pretty atrocious year in the defensive zone.

I don't think anyone is qualified to lead this team on the ice right now

i don't post much but when i watched the bolded it made my blood boil. so pissed.

 

[neelynugs]

WEEI source said monty is out, sacco is in. not sure i love the 2nd part

@Gee Wally - you hearing this?

 

[Patdud]

I'm not opposed to stripping the C if there's a better option, but who would you put it on right now? Pasta's been a complete ghost. McAvoy is establishing himself as a fraud. Coyle got caught on camera smiling while the fans were booing them off the ice. Carlo is having a pretty atrocious year in the defensive zone.

I don't think anyone is qualified to lead this team on the ice right now

No C, just As for the rest of the year

 

[CdnSnowflake]

Easier to fire the coach than fire the players, that is the way it's always been. Maybe the Bruins just need to trade away their core for future assets and start over again. Don't want to wait till they become as pathetic as the Penguins thinking there is ANOTHER Stanley Cup with this crew. There isn't.

 

[chizzler]

Stripping the C? Your grasping. Marchand is fine as a captain. There are other issues that maybe 99% of people here don’t know about. Everyone throwing darts including myself.

i don't post much but when i watched the bolded it made my blood boil. so pissed.

You don’t know the context. Assuming that he’s laughing about losing is a stretch.

 

[Oates2Neely]

WEEI source said monty is out, sacco is in. not sure i love the 2nd part

@Gee Wally - you hearing this?

What is it with local teams using in house replacements? Just look at Foxboro for insight on how that usually pans out

 

[DKH]

When Marchand took a jab at Monty's constant line juggling to the media a little while back, I felt that was a telling sign. There is a lack of respect between the coach and the captain.

Marchand won’t say publicly but like me he knows Monty game 5 line change separating him and Bergeron after 8 years was plain f’n i defensible to those living on planet earth

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

Lots of things saying he's been fired

 

[JAD]

WEEI source said monty is out, sacco is in. not sure i love the 2nd part

@Gee Wally - you hearing this?

If true, it's to be expected.

 

[DKH]

Logical choice

 

[JAD]

What is it with local teams using in house replacements? Just look at Foxboro for insight on how that usually pans out

Look at it this way, if they continue to crash and burn they can then can Sacco at the end of the year as well.

 

[nickyb]

Poor bastard, he will land elsewhere I imagine eventually, our roster is a mixed bag of mediocre crap.....it goes deeper than Monty.

 

[Chevalier du Clavier]

FWIW ...

https://x.com/i/web/status/1858944523767816315

 

[Dicky113]

Sounds like it’s Sacco. Awesome maybe he can fix the Powerpl….
Oh wait

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

Sacco is worse then Monty, maybe they are just accepting the tank.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Well... Whatever

 

[BruinDust]

What is it with local teams using in house replacements? Just look at Foxboro for insight on how that usually pans out

I don't like it but it felt fishy when they "promoted" Sacco to associate coach during this off-season. This is/was likely their back-up plan all along if things went off the rails.