BOSTON — In the court of public opinion, it was certainly not a popular decision among the fan base when the Boston Bruins decided to cut ties with head coach Bruce Cassidy last summer.
In hindsight, of course, sacking Cassidy and bringing in Jim Montgomery to replace him might have been one of most brilliant, if not extremely fortunate, masterstrokes the organization has made in a long time.
The Bruins officially reached the halfway point of the 2022-23 campaign Thursday night against the upstart Seattle Kraken at TD Garden, and not even the most fervent Black-and-Gold homer could have predicted what’s actually transpired this season. They’re the best and most exciting team in the city; we’re talking major 2011 vibes here.
They’re not just leading the league in wins (32) and points (68), but doing so at a pace that could break the NHL records for both. They own an absurd winning percentage of .850, are unbeaten at home (19-0-3), and are far and away the best goals-against average team in the league (2.13 surrendered per game) while their offense is second at 3.85 goals a night. Boston’s goal differential is a staggering plus-68 — almost double that of second place Dallas (+35).
They’re the best third period team in the league by a wide margin, having potted 61 goals for compared to 23 against. They score 1.71 goals during 5-on-5 play for every one their opponents manage, also best in the sport.
The Bruins sit third overall in power play efficiency (28.2 percent) and are tops in penalty killing (85.8%). They also control the puck more often than not and are second in the NHL in faceoff win percentage (55.7%).
Toronto, which comes to TD Garden Saturday night and is having a fantastic run of its own, is currently No. 2 in the league’s overall standings. Yet the Maple Leafs an only sigh as they look up at the Bruins, whom they trail by nine points in the Atlantic Division standings.
Is all of this Montgomery’s doing, as if the Montreal native and former national champion and captain for the University of Maine Black Bears came in, waved a magic wand and said, ‘Let’s go dominate the league?’
Of course not.
But his methods, his strategy, his people skills, and his emphasis on driving the play offensively have very clearly woken up any dormant feelings his players may have had prior to his arrival. There are no hibernating bears on this Bruins’ team, that’s for sure.
Cassidy was a media darling because he’d give a straight, and often blunt, answer to any question asked of hiim, particularly about the men he coached. He had no problem praising them … but also had no problem pointing out their flaws, lack of competitiveness, or other specifics that generally tend to stay in the locker room.
Now he’s in Vegas headed up the Golden Knights (who, ironically, are atop their division as well) while Montgomery’s approach, command of the team, and ability to push all the right buttons have been the peanut butter to his players’ jelly.
Would David Krejci have come back to Boston after a one-year sabbatical back in Czechia had Cassidy not been replaced? Would captain Patrice Bergeron have returned? Would Jake DeBrusk’s offensive game and confidence soared? Would Trent Frederic have become the valuable third liner that he has? Would Linus Ullmark’s game have blossomed into Vezina-type play in net? Would the team’s younger players feel confident knowing that every mistake isn’t being scrutinized and resulting in a seat up on Level 9 instead of the bench? All of these questions (and many more) may never be answered, but common sense and the ol’ fashion eye test on game nights tell you all you need to know.
The Bruins, naturally, will need to make a few moves between now and the NHL’s trade deadline on March 3 to fortify their roster. They’re bound to hit a few potholes and/or injuries over the second half, and odds are they won’t actually achieve the record breaking mark for wins and points they currently find themselves on.
But with Montgomery steering the ship he’s already proven, in just 41 games, that he’s the man who could ultimately steer the Bruins back to the top of hockey’s mountaintop … not just in the here and now, but when hockey really matters in April, May and June, too.
Contact Phil Stacey
@PhilStacey_SN