St. Louis Blues Hire Jim Montgomery as Head Coach

The St. Louis Blues have fired head coach Drew Bannister and hired Jim Montgomery, just days after Montgomery was dismissed by the Boston Bruins. Bannister, who took over as interim coach last season and was later made full-time, was let go after the Blues posted a 9-12-1 record in the first 22 games of the season. Montgomery, 55, was previously an assistant coach for the Blues and led the Bruins to a historic 2022-23 season, earning the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach. Despite his successful tenure with the Bruins, Montgomery was released after a slow start this season. The Blues hope Montgomery's return will improve their performance, as they have struggled defensively, being outscored by 21 goals so far this season. Montgomery has signed a five-year contract to become the 28th head coach in franchise history.