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Blues Hire Former Bruins Coach Days After Firing

It didn't take long for the former Boston Bruins coach to find a new job with the St. Louis Blues.

Nick Horwat

May 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery speaks to the media after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in game seven of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
May 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery speaks to the media after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in game seven of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
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It hasn’t even been a week since the Boston Bruins fired their head coach Jim Montgomery, and the St. Louis Blues have stepped up to the plate to make a big change. The Blues announced that they have fired head coach Drew Bannister to hire Montgomery.

The Blues have been playing hardball in 2024 and swiping Montgomery off the unemployment line with a real quickness is another example of that.

In just over two seasons with the Bruins, Montgomery picked up a 120-41-23 record and was regarded as one of the top coaches in the NHL. When he was fired after a poor start to the season, it was assumed Montgomery wouldn’t be without a job for long.

The Bruins held an 8-9-3 record at the time of Montgomery's firing and have won their first two games since.

Bannister didn’t have much time as head coach of the Blues. During the 2023-24 season, he was named the replacement as head coach in St. Louis after they fired Craig Berube from the position. The Blues stripped the interim tag from Bannister and made the 2024-25 season his first full year as an NHL head coach.

After 22 games of the season, however, a better opportunity came along for the Blues. In 76 career games coached in St. Louis, Bannister notched a 39-31-6 record.

The Blues currently hold a 9-12-1 record in 22 games played and sit sixth in the Central Division. Expectations aren’t super high in St. Louis, but Montgomery behind the bench should push them in the right direction.

According to Chris Johnston of the Athletic, Montgomery signed a five-year contract with the Blues. Bannister had a year remaining after the 2024-25 season. With a five-year deal, Montgomery will also have plenty of time to grow the team in his image.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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