Paul Bissonnette delivers four-word statement after Boston Bruins fire head coach Jim Montgomery

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Nov 22, 2024 07:22 GMT

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Former NHLer and hockey analyst Paul Bissonnette shared a four-word statement after the Boston Bruins fired head coach Jim Montgomery.

On Tuesday, the club announced that it had relieved Montgomery of his duties as head coach. Joe Sacco will serve as the interim coach in his place.

Bissonnette shared his reaction on X (formerly Twitter):

"The Boston Bruins are dead. #NHLBruins."

The Boston Bruins appointed Montgomery as their 29th head coach following the firing of Bruce Cassidy in 2021. Montgomery spent over two seasons behind the Bruins' bench and posted a 120-41-23 record.

The decision comes after the Bruins' continued lopsided performances in the 2024-25 season, going 8-9-3 and losing four of their last five games.

"Our team’s inconsistency and performance in the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season has been concerning and below how the Bruins want to reward our fans. I believe Joe Sacco has the coaching experience to bring the players and the team back to focusing on the consistent effort the NHL requires to have success," Bruins GM Don Sweeney said via NHL.com.

"We will continue to work to make the necessary adjustments to meet the standard and performance our supportive fans expect."

The Bruins will play their first game under Joe Sacco against the Utah Hockey Club at TD Garden on Thursday. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET.

Jim Montgomery led Boston Bruins to historic season

Jim Montgomery’s firing came a day after the Bruins suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

One of the best moments for the Bruins under Montgomery was their historic campaign in the 2022-23 season. The club tallied a record 135 points and achieved 65 wins for an overall record of 65-12-5.

However, the historic season quickly faded as the Bruins were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Florida Panthers. Under Montgomery, the Boston Bruins achieved the 100-point mark each season and he also led the club to win the 2023 Presidents’ Trophy.

Before joining the Bruins, the 55-year-old served as the head coach of the Dallas Stars and as an assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues. He won the 2023 Jack Adams Award as the best coach in the NHL. Overall, Montgomery boasts a coaching record of 180-84-33.