ST. LOUIS — Because of the St. Louis Blues’ schedule, Jim Montgomery hasn’t spent too much time behind the bench at Enterprise Center since he took over as head coach on Nov. 24.
The team’s first three games were on the road, and after a one-game stop in St. Louis on Saturday, the Blues are back on the road for their next four games.
But while brief, it was a grand return for Montgomery on Saturday.
After playing one season with the Blues in 1993-94 and working as an assistant coach for the team in 2020-21 and ’21-22, he was presented as the 28th coach in club history to the home crowd.
During the first period of their 3-2 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Blues put a picture of Montgomery with a “welcome back” graphic on the Jumbotron, and the 16,863 in attendance gave him a rousing ovation.
“I’m incredibly grateful,” Montgomery said. “It’s touching and I look forward to rewarding them a lot with how much growth I hope our team will show them this year.”
“The ovation that (the fans) gave is touching, I look forward to rewarding them a lot with how much growth I hope our team will show them this year.”
Montgomery on his emotions after home coaching debut. #stblues pic.twitter.com/aq4mfHR2BB
— FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (@FanDuelSN_MW) December 1, 2024
So far, Montgomery’s Blues have brought fans two wins in three games, and with the OT point against the Flyers, they have earned five of a possible six points heading into Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.
But after 10 days on the job, what do we know about Montgomery as a head coach?
He admitted it’s been a bit of a smooth transition because of his time as an assistant coach with the Blues.
“It’s real easy when you know people’s nicknames already,” Montgomery said. “You’ve had some hard conversations where you’re being honest and vulnerable together, and you’ve also had a lot of laughs together. So they know there’s going to be a balance of both. It’s not a feel-out process. It’s get right to it.”
I asked him after Sunday’s practice what he hoped players would say about him.
“That I’m a teacher and that I care,” Montgomery said. “That would be the two things.”
To find out more, I walked into the Blues’ locker room and asked them myself. Here’s how eight of them replied.
Brayden Schenn
“I would say he’s a guy that he’s fun to be around, but at the same time, he’s detailed and smart. He’s just got a presence, and he really tries to get the most out of his players. Whether you’re older or younger, he’s willing to help you. He just has a tremendous amount of respect from everyone in the organization and the locker room.”
Alexey Toropchenko
“I knew him from my first year, and we were always working with him after practices. He was always talking to me about my strengths and what I need to improve. He’s got a good personality, just honest and straight. Now it’s the same as he always was, just a good person.”
Matthew Kessel
“I didn’t know him at all, but what I’ve noticed right away is that he’s a very detailed coach. The first game that we played with him in New York, there were a couple areas that were looking a little better, spending a little less time in our zone, which will help us. For me, he’s been telling me to continue building my game physically and being firm, and that’s when I’m playing my best.”
P.O. Joseph
“I heard a lot about his details, and the biggest thing to me so far is that he takes time to explain them to us. I feel like we’ve really been improving because of that. Also, the way he interacts with his players, and the joy that he brings every day, he’s just a positive guy. He comes in the room and makes jokes, and it calms down a lot of people who have nerves. We all appreciate it when it’s time to have fun, but at the same time, he knows how to straighten us out when we’re not doing things properly.”
Zack Bolduc
“For a lot of guys, it’s the passion. But for me, it’s the way he communicates. His communication is really good. He’s not afraid to talk on the bench, and he’s quick on feedback, and I really like that from him. It happened in New York and in New Jersey, too. I love getting feedback — good or bad. It’s always great to get during the game.”
Dylan Holloway
“I think as far as coaches, he’s a teacher. He’s teaching a lot right now, going through the systems and making sure that we’re dialed in. He’s not afraid to stop practice and really explain what he’s trying to get us to do. It’s one thing to draw up a system and go and do it. But he’s out there showing us where to go and harping on it, but at the same time, he’s got positive energy and positive feedback. He’s been great so far.”
Mathieu Joseph
“I think he’s a very honest person. When he doesn’t like something, he says it right away. When he likes something, he also says it. But he’s an honest guy. He didn’t like the way we finished practice (Sunday), and he told us about it. I like that a lot about a coach. Just like the game (3-2 OT loss to Philadelphia), he told us that it wasn’t our A game, but we grinded it out and we’ll have to be better. That’s an honest coach coming in after a loss and telling us the truth.”
Joel Hofer
“The two biggest things are he’s always positive and always very encouraging. Guys love him around here. He just brings good energy around the rink. Guys are excited to be here and guys are here to go to work. We’re playing pretty good hockey here, and we’re going to try to keep that going.”
(Photo: Jeff Curry / USA Today)
