In a variety of methods, the Boston Bruins exceeded expectations within the 2023-24 marketing campaign. Regardless of a mass exodus of expertise, headlined by star middle Patrice Bergeron, the group put collectively one other robust physique of labor within the common season that noticed them make it to the postseason. As soon as there, they barely averted throwing away a 3-1 lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs, earlier than they in the end misplaced to the Florida Panthers in six video games within the Japanese Convention semifinals.
After the group introduced in a pair of big-name free brokers in Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, whereas additionally signing goalie Jeremy Swayman to an enormous contract extension, there was purpose to imagine Boston would take a step ahead this season. As a substitute, they’ve flopped out of the gate, posting an 8-9-3 file by means of their first 20 video games, with their newest 5-1 defeat by the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets being the loss that resulted in head coach Jim Montgomery getting fired.
Everytime you fail to satisfy expectations in the way in which the B’s have, adjustments should be made, and with no contract in place for subsequent season, Montgomery tried every part he might to get Boston on observe. It did not work, although, and it turned clear that the group wanted to make a change. Firing Montgomery was inevitable, however that alone just isn’t going to repair all the issues this group is coping with.
Firing Jim Montgomery is not going to repair all the Bruins issues
Throughout Montgomery’s time with the Bruins, he leaned closely on the group’s protection and goaltending to make up for his or her lack of offensive firepower. Boston invited stress earlier than speeding out of their very own zone on the break, the place they capitalized on their scoring probabilities. They weren’t racking up 35 photographs on objective per evening, but it surely did not matter, as a result of they had been nonetheless creating high-danger scoring alternatives.
This season, the B’s have been a shell of the group they had been previously two seasons with Montgomery in cost. They’re struggling to stop their opponents from scoring, and their high quality over amount mantra on offense has fully disappeared. Boston is panicking on each side of the ice, and Montgomery couldn’t determine methods to repair their issues.
It’s important to give Montgomery credit score for making an attempt, as he reamed out Brad Marchand on the bench earlier this season, benched David Pastrnak late in one other sport, and has consistently been switching strains with a purpose to try to discover a spark. Finally, his message wasn’t getting by means of the group, so now the group is hoping interim head coach Joe Sacco will be capable to get this group again on observe.
Might Sacco be the lacking piece of the puzzle in Boston? Doubtlessly, and it’s value noting that the Edmonton Oilers went all the way in which to the Stanley Cup Last final season after they fired Jay Woodcroft early on within the 12 months and changed him with Kris Knoblauch. In an ideal world, Sacco makes an analogous kind of affect for Boston.
The issue is that the problems run deeper than Montgomery. The Bruins do not have their top-tier goalie duo of Swayman and Linus Ullmark to bail their group out anymore, which might be their greatest subject. Past that, Swayman has been terrible, permitting 3.47 objectives per sport, which has pressured his new backup, Joonas Korpisalo, into motion extra typically, as he is permitting simply 2.74 objectives per sport.
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After holding out for the offseason, Swayman has seemed rusty, and whereas it is regarding to see him wrestle, he’ll determine issues out in due time. For now, although, the B’s protection must be extra aggressive in stopping their opponents from taking pictures the puck. Whereas permitting low-danger photographs wasn’t actually a problem previously, it is the first subject that this group is coping with proper now.
Certain, they’re shorthanded on the blue line, with Hampus Lindholm and Andrew Peeke at the moment coping with accidents, however Charlie McAvoy, Zadorov, and Brandon Carlo are nonetheless skating, and they should play higher to ensure that this group to show issues round. Sacco is essentially credited with being the mastermind behind Boston’s penalty kill, so he ought to be capable to guarantee this group can play higher on protection in five-on-five conditions.
Offensively, Boston’s lack of goal-scoring expertise has by no means been extra evident. They need to be scoring extra, however in the end, that is one other unhealthy search for normal supervisor Don Sweeney, who one way or the other is invincible from punishment, regardless of how poorly this group has performed. In the event that they proceed to wrestle with Montgomery gone, severe conversations should be had relating to Sweeney’s future with the group.
Determined occasions name for determined measures, and whereas it is nonetheless early within the season, the Bruins must get going, and quick. Eliminating Montgomery clearly needed to occur, however except different adjustments are made, this can quantity to nothing greater than a stop-gap transfer. Boston is on skinny ice simply 20 video games into the season, and if they can not flip issues round quickly, greater adjustments will should be made sooner or later.