The Boston Bruins season is just seven games old. Once more, there are just seven games. After a three-game road trip ended abruptly due to consecutive losses, the Bruins are now 3-3-1. The Bruins lost to Utah (2-1 in OT) and Nashville (4-0) after starting the trip with a 5-3 victory against the Colorado Avalanche, who were then winless. Before anyone had even put on their Halloween costumes, the club was left with a lot of questions. Although the season is still early, some of the tendencies are unsettling to Boston Bruins supporters, including their head coach. Here are five things to remember from Tuesday night’s Bruins loss in Nashville:
Insubordinate and unacceptable
The Boston Bruins are playing like the sixth-youngest club in the National Hockey League. For the past few weeks, head coach Jim Montgomery has been preaching discipline, but the team doesn’t seem to be grasping the consequences of their reckless play. Boston leads the NHL with 40 minor penalties, including six against Nashville.
Boston leads the NHL with 40 minor penalties, including six against Nashville. Nikita Zadorov leads the squad with 21 penalty minutes, while defenseman Charlie McAvoy has received seven minor penalties. In the first session, Max Jones committed two offensive zone penalties that were, to put it simply, offensive. The Bruins, who let up 18 more goals in the defeat, also need to play with better discipline. This has been discussed a couple times by the coach. Perhaps now is the moment to listen.
Shuffling Lines Without Any Outcomes
Tuesday night was no exception to Montgomery’s tendency to switch up his lines at the last minute. Montgomery switched up every line but the productive fourth line after only managing one goal at Utah and receiving little output from his top six forward group. The outcome was a shutout at the hands of the Predators and Juuse Saros. Prior to the season, general manager Don Sweeney stated that the team was not yet complete and that they needed a top-line winger. The problems may extend beyond that.
Monty’s Status Could Be in Peril
It appears like Montgomery’s message is not being understood by the squad. In addition to criticizing the Bruins’ lack of discipline, Montgomery also criticized captain Brad Marchand for sitting out the game against Utah. It was the first obvious sign that Montgomery’s degree of annoyance could be a sign that the third-year coach is having a rough time.
It’s a little surprising that the Bruins haven’t decided to extend Montgomery past this season given how well the coach has performed in the regular season. It is difficult to deny that Boston’s management is uncertain about Montgomery’s suitability as coach moving ahead. This is a development worth monitoring in the upcoming weeks, despite the fact that it is early in the season.
The Bruins appear to be sluggish.
This offseason, the Bruins made a determined effort to gain size and weight. The attacking group’s bottom-six is large and strong, while the defense is excellent overall. Whether adding size was the proper decision is the question. The team appears sluggish overall, and their out-of-zone breakouts have suffered. The club appears to be losing pucks to beatings at a startling rate. Boston has to win battles, get the ball deep, and play to their strengths more. That hasn’t occurred nearly enough thus far.
The Bruins have shown a great deal of generosity.
Following 22 puck giveaways versus Utah, the Bruins let up another 18 yesterday night as a result of their ongoing puck giveaways. Getting out of the defensive zone is one of the issues. In an attempt to move the puck too fast, Boston has turned over too many pucks. Boston’s propensity to pass the puck swiftly appears to have been scouted by teams, who are preventing Boston from producing any seamless breakouts. If this is the coaching staff’s responsibility, then they should make this adjustment.
There are just seven games. However, the most significant eight-game of the season in recent memory may be Thursday’s home game versus 5-2-0 Dallas.
Following the coach’s tirade toward Jim Montgomery on the bench, Brad Marchand stands up for him.
Following the coach’s tirade toward Jim Montgomery on the bench, Brad Marchand stands up for him.
“There’s a lack of accountability nowadays because people can’t handle the heat.”
In the third period, center Jim Montgomery, head coach of the Boston Bruins, speaks with left wing Brad Marchand (63).
After being captured on camera yelling at team captain Brad Marchand while he was on the bench, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery received a lot of criticism over the weekend.
Marchand made a costly turnover high in the offensive zone with two Utah players draped over him during the third period of Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club.
After the turnover, Utah went down the ice and scored, tying the score at 1-1.
Even though Utah’s goal was ultimately disallowed after an offside review, his head coach still responded angrily to Marchand’s transgression while he was on the bench.
Montgomery slammed into Marchand on the bench for his error just after Utah lighted the lamp, and after delivering his point, he gave him a gentle shove on the shoulder.
Jim Montgomery RIPPED into Brad Marchand for a turnover that initiated the who play, but the goal was ultimately overruled for offside. 😳 pic.twitter.com/vtwbzlOIcx
(@BR_OpenIce) — B/R Open Ice October 20, 2024
With Boston struggling out of the start with a 3-3-1 record, Montgomery’s rebuttal against his captain has generated a lot of reactions in recent days.
However, Marchand supported his coach in a statement on Thursday morning.
According to Marchand, “people are very sensitive these days.” And the way coaches are questioned about things like that is regrettable. People these days are unable to cope with the heat, thus there is a lack of accountability. When you make a mistake like that, you should be informed.
“I’m relieved that he brought it up. We would have much more serious problems if he didn’t. It is disheartening that we are discussing that, but it is the reality of the situation right now.
Brad Marchand on Montgomery’s response after tearing into him:
“It’s terrible that instructors are subjected to such scrutiny. People are unable to cope with the heat these days, thus there is a lack of accountability. If you make such a mistake, you should be informed. image.twitter.com/79Ga9YMflC
— @ConorRyan_93, Conor Ryan 24 October 2024
Montgomery also talked about his conversation with Marchand on Thursday, emphasizing that going ahead, there won’t be any more occasions where he and his captain need to clear the air.
“There is no need for a conversation between Marshy and me,” Montgomery continued. He and I both have strong emotions. Although I’m not thrilled with it, neither he nor I give it any thought after the fact. He is an expert. In addition to being a fantastic player who benefits us greatly, he also has high standards. Therefore, that is finished for us.
Montgomery pointed out that Marchand was a strong candidate for Saturday’s outburst due to his seniority and his capacity to accept direct criticism right away. Over the past year, Boston’s bench boss has not hesitated to criticize a number of his best players.
Before Game 7 of the team’s May first-round series against the Maple Leafs, he insisted that David Pastrnak needed to “step up.”
While Marchand (zero goals, four assists over seven games) will try to get going on Thursday night against the Dallas Stars, Pastrnak did respond by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against Toronto.
Marchand, 36, emphasized that all players in Boston’s locker room should be held to the same standard, despite Montgomery’s observation that Marchand is a player who can take the heat on the bench when things go wrong.
“No one is exempt from the accountability that must be held in this room,” Marchand stated. “At a bad point in the game, I made a pretty bad error, which is unacceptable and shouldn’t have happened in the first place. … I anticipated hearing about it from several of the men on the bench in addition to him.
Therefore, I ought to be considered responsible in that circumstance. I’m delighted he did.
