Jim Montgomery, previously dismissed by the Bruins, rejuvenated the St. Louis Blues with a stunning mid-season turnaround. After a challenging start, the Blues, under Montgomery's guidance, improved significantly, achieving a 19-4-3 record and securing the final wild-card playoff position. Montgomery expressed no initial expectations but quickly recognized the team's potential after just one game. Under his leadership, the Blues not only qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2022 but also increased their goals per game significantly, showcasing their offensive capabilities.
We talked about how special it was to be part of the Bruins organization, but also the opportunity to come to a new team in mid-season. It was refreshing.
After the first game, I knew we had a lot. I knew we had a real good hockey team that was deep. The plays we were making in the first game were significant.
Montgomery's Blues beat visiting Utah, 6-1, to secure the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
The Blues opened the season by dropping 13 of their first 22 games prior to Montgomery's arrival, totaling only 2.36 goals per game, ranking them third-fewest in the league.
Collection
[
|
...
]