Management Jim Montgomery

[BruinDust]

2 mins 30 seconds down a goal he has Beecher- Freddy- Geekie out there. They should fire him after this game.

That was Geekies worst playoff game

I can't even explain the Geekie for Frederic swap at C on the 3rd line. Geekie played C for most of the season, Frederic didn't. In a 1st round playoff series you swap them? Geekie needs to play in the middle he's not fleet of foot and it helps keep his feet moving. I'm not sure if there is any past history of him being effective on the wing at the NHL level, even in Seattle.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

They lose game 7 I'd fire Monty and quickly hire Berube or Gallant while they are still available.

Monty seems to have no answers.

 

[TD Charlie]

Not only do I fire Montgomery if they lose Saturday, I fire Montgomery if they miraculously advance and lose to Florida too

 

[Absurdity]

If we lose Game 7 I wouldn't complain if Monty gets canned. But if you're gonna fire the coach then Sweeney and/or Neely need to be fired, too. They shouldn't be able to outlive another coach.

Neither should the players

 

[McGarnagle]

They lose game 7 I'd fire Monty and quickly hire Berube or Gallant while they are still available.

Monty seems to have no answers.

Assuming Quenneville is still persona non grata in the league, those two are the best names available and would both mark a needed change in direction. I'd be opwn to bringing Clode back, as he's expressed interest in coaching again.

But I know Sweeney is going to circle back to his local boys and interview David Quinn and Jay Leach again

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

Assuming Quenneville is still persona non grata in the league, those two are the best names available and would both mark a needed change in direction. I'd be opwn to bringing Clode back, as he's expressed interest in coaching again.

But I know Sweeney is going to circle back to his local boys and interview David Quinn and Jay Leach again

I hope you are wrong, but it is definitely possible.

 

[BruinDust]

There's an old saying in business that if your a manager but your also "one of the boys" to the people you manage, it's already game over. Like you're done. That will never work.

I don't watch Behind the B but I do see clips and glimpses and sometimes I wonder if Monty isn't just one of the boys who happens to be the coach. Works fine in the regular season and when things are going well. But can you make hard decisions in the playoffs. Be decisive. Adjust on the fly. Command respect. They don't have to love you but they absolutely have to respect you.

 

[Yeti34]

Who else should have been out there? Serious question.

Would you put Marchand and Pastrnak out there for the remaining 5 minutes or what?

There was 2:30 left you have your top guys out there. Whether that be line 1 or 2 or whatever combo he was running with towards the end.

 

[bbfan419]

Sweeney, Neely, Monty, Sacco and Kelly can all go. I would hire Quenneville as coach and not worry at all what anyone thinks, Gallant would be a great choice also.

 

[Mad-Marcus]

Monty has done wonders with the younger players. He most likely a top end ASST Coach.
He doesn't seem to adjust well on the fly. I can't stand the Leafs coach, but to change their style after being down 3-1, is surprising and commendable.
Still the B's have more depth and are in danger of a choke reputation that will take years to get over.
Isn't this type of stuff pre-2004 Red Sox 101?

 

[bp14]

When they lose tomorrow, I think they do have to fire Monty. Certainly this series loss isn’t on him, but he once again didn’t have any answers for a team gagging it away. Can’t let that happen a third time.

And it’s all so odd too. I think most of us expected this team to stink this year, and thanks in large part to him, they didn’t. Full credit to Monty. But his playoff performance has been dreadful. You have to account for that.

 

[Therick67]

There's an old saying in business that if your a manager but your also "one of the boys" to the people you manage, it's already game over. Like you're done. That will never work.

I don't watch Behind the B but I do see clips and glimpses and sometimes I wonder if Monty isn't just one of the boys who happens to be the coach. Works fine in the regular season and when things are going well. But can you make hard decisions in the playoffs. Be decisive. Adjust on the fly. Command respect. They don't have to love you but they absolutely have to respect you.

This is what they wanted, Bruce was mean, yelled at people etc..

They got the players coach, It's been great in the regular season, but he's looked lost in the playoffs when the heat gets turned up.

I just can't understand how you can be up 3-1 in a series and then have no answers for anything.

Getting outcoached by Maurice and now Keefe is puke inducing..

 

[ODAAT]

Out of the Woods

Its a great documentary. They were down 4-2 going into the 3rd and Monty had the Natural Hat Trick in the 3rd for Maine to win 5-4 in the Natty.

nice, find it online or stream it somewhere?

 

[ODAAT]

Sweeney, Neely, Monty, Sacco and Kelly can all go. I would hire Quenneville as coach and not worry at all what anyone thinks, Gallant would be a great choice also.

I miss Ted Nolan but get the sense he`s long been blacklisted, how about Pandolfo?

 

[bigbadbruins1]

I personally think Monty should be shown the door. dude is 0-5 in elimination games, potentially 0-6 after tomorrow.

He shows literally NO adaptability. The PP never changes. the offensive structure never changes. our breakouts never change. The leafs have adapted to our "style" and are completely shutting us down. It's Monty's problem to adapt and change our style to something that is more successful.

just like he was too late to change the goalie last year, he will be too late to change the play style this year.

 

[MillerTime29Bombs]

nice, find it online or stream it somewhere?

On YouTube. About one hour long

 

[RoccoF14]

I personally think Monty should be shown the door. dude is 0-5 in elimination games, potentially 0-6 after tomorrow.

He shows literally NO adaptability. The PP never changes. the offensive structure never changes. our breakouts never change. The leafs have adapted to our "style" and are completely shutting us down. It's Monty's problem to adapt and change our style to something that is more successful.

just like he was too late to change the goalie last year, he will be too late to change the play style this year.

Your point is fair, but I don't agree with it. I think any criticism of Monty from last year, is more than fair. That team was a wagon and underperformed. Some of it because of his questionable decisions.

This year's team though? No way. If anything its overachieved, given the roster he's working with. We've got Morgan Geekie and DANTON HEINEN playing top 6 minutes, Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle as our top 2 centers. Not because of some bad coaching decision, but out of necessity. We talk about lack of adaptability, but I'd argue that we simply don't have better options. I'd also argue that we've gotten about as much out of this roster as could be reasonably expected and that's all you can ask a coach to do.

Yes, we've ridden our goaltending, but we've had to. We don't have the roster to shuffle players in and out and expect significant changes in performance. We've got one gear, and not a lot of better options, if any.

To me last year, vs this year's playoff performances are night and day different, and I don't think you can equate the 2.

 

[Nothingbutglass]

We should be able to beat a banged up Leafs team that isnt that good and were doing fine until Montgomery started f***ing up the lineup. That killed momentum and was totally not needed. He needs to go win or lose.

 

[bbfan419]

I miss Ted Nolan but get the sense he`s long been blacklisted, how about Pandolfo?

I don't think Nolan would be a good choice TBH, Pandolfo I think he is happy where he is at, would be okay as an assistant again, but not head coach. My top 3 choices in order: 1. Joel Quenneville, 2. Gerrard Gallant, 3. Craig Berube, these are the types of coaches we need to light a fire under their butts, not someone who is hold the hand type like Monty. I was all for giving him a chance,but he is the kind of guy that can get you to the dance, but has no clue what to do once he gets there.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

Sweeney, Neely, Monty, Sacco and Kelly can all go. I would hire Quenneville as coach and not worry at all what anyone thinks, Gallant would be a great choice also.

The majority of the scouting staff can go, too. Dean Malkoc was apparently the mastermind behind the 2015 1st round and he's still employed.

 

[NDiesel]

The majority of the scouting staff can go, too. Dean Malkoc was apparently the mastermind behind the 2015 1st round and he's still employed.

I think they've really turned it around since that draft...have hit on a good player almost every draft since

 

[Johnnyduke]

Neither should the players

This is the correct take. At some point this franchise will wake up and realize that Bruce Cassidy is a damn good coach. Cup champion. Jim Montgomery is a very good coach. Has won everywhere he's been and has gotten a lot out of this team after Bergeron retired.

It's not a coaching problem. Either Sweeney just can't find the right mix or some of the core players are the problem. To be fair to everyone involved this is not a cup winning lineup. The question Jacobs should be asking is if Don Sweeney is the right guy to continue the retooling or if it's time for a new approach.

 

[The don godfather]

We had claude walking the plank 2009 and 2010 too I remember. Look what happened when they didnt fire him.

 

[Therick67]

Your point is fair, but I don't agree with it. I think any criticism of Monty from last year, is more than fair. That team was a wagon and underperformed. Some of it because of his questionable decisions.

This year's team though? No way. If anything its overachieved, given the roster he's working with. We've got Morgan Geekie and DANTON HEINEN playing top 6 minutes, Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle as our top 2 centers. Not because of some bad coaching decision, but out of necessity. We talk about lack of adaptability, but I'd argue that we simply don't have better options. I'd also argue that we've gotten about as much out of this roster as could be reasonably expected and that's all you can ask a coach to do.

Yes, we've ridden our goaltending, but we've had to. We don't have the roster to shuffle players in and out and expect significant changes in performance. We've got one gear, and not a lot of better options, if any.

To me last year, vs this year's playoff performances are night and day different, and I don't think you can equate the 2.

While I agree with much of this, the expectations changed during the season and when this team went up 3-1 again to a team they finished ahead of in the standing with no apparent adjustments in games 5 or 6 - the coach doesn't get to escape blame.

 

[BruinDust]

We had claude walking the plank 2009 and 2010 too I remember. Look what happened when they didnt fire him.

Jim Montgomery is no Claude Julien.

Heck, the only thing Monty has done right is keep the collapsing defensive system that Julien put in place here 16 years ago.