Last week saw major changes for two NHL teams, both involving the same coach. The Boston Bruins parted ways with head coach Jim Montgomery after a slow start to the 2024-25 season, naming longtime assistant Joe Sacco as his replacement.

Shortly after, the St. Louis Blues dismissed head coach David Bannister following a 9-12-1 start and quickly signed Montgomery to a five-year deal.

Montgomery returns to St. Louis, where he previously served as an assistant under Craig Berube for two seasons. Speaking with The Score, he expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, noting his excitement when Blues GM Doug Armstrong reached out.

“Crazy, crazy!” he exclaimed. “There’s no other word for it. A lot of emotions. I’m a firm believer that when one door closes, another one opens if you do the right thing.”

“I’ve worked with over half this lineup already, and I know how committed they are to playing the right way and the type of people they are,” he said. “For me, this was a no-brainer to be able to come back home and be a Blue again.”

As far as expectations go for Blues fans, they can expect a “blue collar” style performance from the team along with playing energized hockey.

“I’m coming in here with no expectations,” he said. “For the players, that’s healthy. For me, that’s healthy. But there is an expectation for us to be a blue-collar team, that we’re gonna work and we’re gonna have energy.”