Blues Name Montgomery as New Head Coach

In a significant shake-up, the St. Louis Blues have announced the hiring of Jim Montgomery as their new head coach, effectively replacing Bannister, who was let go after a challenging season.

The Blues made the official announcement earlier today, marking the start of a new chapter for the franchise as they look to regain their competitive edge in the NHL. Montgomery signed a five-year contract just 5 days after being fired by the Bruins.

"This was more an opportunity to get someone of Jim's caliber more than anything else," Blues president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong said. "We've had to deal with our situations off the ice with injuries, and everyone deals with that, but this decision was based, I would say, 100 percent on having someone of Jim's caliber becoming available when I didn't know that was going to happen."

Montgomery’s Coaching Background 

Jim Montgomery is widely recognized as one of the most promising coaching talents in hockey. After a successful playing career, Montgomery quickly transitioned into coaching, achieving his first major success as the head coach of the Dallas Stars. Under his leadership, the Stars reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, solidifying Montgomery’s reputation as a coach capable of guiding teams deep into the playoffs. Prior to his NHL success, Montgomery coached at the collegiate level, most notably with the University of Denver, where he won a national championship in 2017. His experience in developing young talent, combined with his ability to coach at the highest levels, makes him well-suited to lead the Blues, particularly with a roster that features several emerging stars.

While the departure of Drew Bannister was a difficult decision, the Blues clearly believe that Jim Montgomery is the right person to guide the team back to relevance. His leadership, experience, and tactical acumen should help the team refocus and elevate their play on both sides of the puck. A franchise that is looking to rebuild and reclaim its spot as a Stanley Cup contender. For fans in St. Louis, there’s renewed hope with the arrival of a coach who knows how to win and has the ability to push the Blues to the next level.