Bruins Dismiss Montgomery as Head Coach

Jim Montgomery (Maine) has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Boston Bruins. The Montreal native was in his third season at the helm of the Bruins, who are currently 8-9-3 through their first 20 games of the 2024-25 NHL campaign and in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, where they sit outside a playoff spot. Succeeding Montgomery as interim head coach is assistant Joe Sacco (Boston University), who previously oversaw the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-2013.

Montgomery joined Boston for the 2022-23 season and led it to a league-best 65-12-5 record, setting NHL records for most wins and points (132) by a team in a single season while personally earning the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year. He then guided the Bruins to a 47-20-15 mark in 2023-24, although both of those seasons ended with a first-round loss to Florida in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As an All-America forward, Montgomery led the University of Maine to its first-ever NCAA hockey title as a senior forward in 1993, earning him NCAA championship MVP accolades. He did likewise 24 years later with the University of Denver, as head coach of the Pioneers when he guided them to the national championship in Chicago in 2017. He left a year later to coach the NHL's Dallas Stars, with whom he compiled a 60-43-10 ledger in 113 regular-season outings before being dismissed by the club almost midway through the 2019-2020 season for "unprofessional conduct."

Montgomery, 55, also coached Dubuque to two Junior A titles in the United States Hockey League before signing on at Denver, after previously serving four seasons as an assistant coach at Rensselaer. He played in 122 NHL games between 1993 and 2003 with St. Louis, Montreal, Philadelphia, San Jose and Dallas, after recording 301 points over four seasons at UMaine, where his No. 19 jersey has been retired.

ADDENDUM: Montgomery wasn't out of work long. He was hired on Nov. 24 as head coach of the St. Louis Blues, who parted ways with Drew Bannister after a little more than one season at the helm.

BC Brings Back Brown as Head Coach

A day after crosstown rival Boston University announced an alumnus as its new men's hockey head coach, Boston College did the same. 

Former BC defenseman Greg Brown will guide the Eagles starting with the 2022-23 season. He succeeds the legendary Jerry York, who recently retired after 28 years at the BC helm, and 50 years in all as a collegiate head coach.

Brown, 54, who grew up in Southboro, Mass., spent last season as head coach of Dubuque (USHL). Prior to that, he served three seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL's New York Rangers, after a 14-year stint as an assistant/associate coach at his alma mater that included three national championships (2008, 2010, 2012).

A product of the St. Mark's School in his hometown, Brown played three seasons at BC, not including one year off to skate with the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team. In those three seasons on the Heights, he tallied 24 goals and 96 assists for 110 points in 119 games. As a junior, he captained the Eagles to the 1990 NCAA Frozen Four in Detroit, and was a two-time First Time All-America selection and a two-time Hockey East Player of the Year honoree. His brother, Doug, preceded him at BC as a player, while Brown later coached his nephews, Chris and Patrick, with the Eagles.

Drafted 26th overall by Buffalo in 1986, Brown collected four goals and 18 points in 94 career NHL games with the Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets, and also skated for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team. He also played with Rochester (AHL) and Cleveland (IHL), before finishing his professional career with eight seasons in Europe, including stops in Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and Germany.

Brown's hiring continues the tradition of having a BC alumnus at the helm of the BC men's hockey program, one that dates back to at least the 1932-33 campaign with the venerable John "Snooks" Kelley.

College Hockey Happenings 07-04-21

 

Jerry Keefe (Providence) has formerly taken over as the men's hockey head coach at Northeastern University. An assistant/associate coach with the Huskies since 2011, he succeeds Jim Madigan, who was elevated to athletic director.

Jay Pandolfo has been named an associate men's hockey coach at his alma mater, Boston University. The former Terriers and NHL forward, who won a national title at BU and two Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils, was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins the last five years.

Finally, the men's branch of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, which was down to just two schools in Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks following a mass exodus, has been formally disbanded after 70 years of play. It earned a host of accolades since 1951, including 37 NCAA national championships. The WCHA women's league will continue play.

Happy Independence Day!

ADDENDUM: Former New York Rangers assistant coach Greg Brown (Boston College) was recently named head coach of Dubuque (USHL).

NCAA Hockey Coaching Carousel Continues

Denver is believed to have locked up Dubuque (USHL) general manager/head coach and University of Maine alumnus Jim Montgomery as its next head coach, as mentioned in the Denver Post. Ohio State and head coach Mark Osiecki, meanwhile, have parted ways after just three seasons, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Former Denver coach George Gwozdecky, who was not retained by the Pioneers after 19 seasons, is still available, although he is considered to be a prime candidate for the Maine job, according to the Bangor Daily News. Last week, USCHO.com said that Maine had tabbed assistant coach and former forward Bob Corkum as the Black Bears' interim head coach, after 12-year-head coach Tim Whitehead was not retained.

Also still seeking a head coach is Alaska Anchorage, which let Dave Shyiak go last month after eight seasons at the Seawolf helm. UAA has been looking at candidates, according to the Anchorage Daily News.

The New NCAA Guard

Following are the top players as ranked by NHL Central Scouting (mid-term) who are either currently playing in college, or are committed to a university for next season, with ranking, name, position, last team and college commitment in parentheses, if not currently enrolled in college:

 9. Jacob Trouba, D, U.S. NTDP (Michigan)

12. Zemgus Girgensons, F, Dubuque-USHL (Vermont)

18. Brady Skjei, D, U.S. NTDP (Minnesota)

27. Nicolas Kerdiles, F, U.S. NTDP (Wisconsin)

28. Phillip Giuseppe, F, Michigan-CCHA

29. Michael Matheson, D, Dubuque-USHL (Boston College)

31. Cristoval Nieves, F, Kent School (Michigan)

47. Jake McCabe, D, Wisconsin-WCHA

73. Austin Wuthrich, F, Notre Dame-CCHA

1G. Jon Gillies, G, Indiana-USHL (Northeastern)

The 2012 NHL Entry Draft will be held at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh in June.