When Jim Montgomery of Montreal, Quebec won the Jack Adams Trophy for the National Hockey League coach of the year on Monday night while representing the Boston Bruins, history was made. In a bizarre circumstance, for the first time ever, the eventual Jack Adams Trophy winner replaced the eventual Stanley Cup winning coach in the same season.
Bruce Cassidy’s time in Boston
After six seasons coaching the Boston Bruins from 2016 to 2022, Bruce Cassidy of Ottawa, Ontario was fired by the organization on June 6, 2022. This despite the fact the Bruins won 51 games during the 2021-22 NHL regular season and had 107 points. Also while with the Bruins, Cassidy helped the Bruins reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, and won the President’s Trophy and Jack Adams Trophy in 2019-20. In 399 games with the Bruins, Cassidy had a record of 245 wins, 108 regular season losses, and 46 losses in extra time.
Cassidy joining the Golden Knights and Montgomery joining the Bruins
It would not take Cassidy long to be out of a job. Eight days later in fact, on June 14, 2022, he became the third head coach in Golden Knights history, following Gerard Gallant of Summerside, Prince Edward Island (2017-20), and Peter De Boer of Dunville, Ontario (2020-22).
Meanwhile, on June 30, 2022, Montgomery was named the Bruins head coach. He had spent two seasons coaching the Dallas Stars from 2018 to 2020. In an ironic state of musical chairs, Dallas is where De Boer ended up as their head coach when he was fired by Vegas.
Montgomery achieves regular season success
Montgomery led the Bruins to a historic regular season. He had a record of 65 wins, 12 regulation losses and five losses in extra time for 135 points. The 65 wins and 135 points set a NHL single season record. However, one could argue that Montgomery was outcoached by Paul Maurice of the Florida Panthers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Panthers upset the Bruins in seven games.
Cassidy achieves playoff success
The Bruins might have been the best team in the regular season, but the Golden Knights were the best team in the playoffs. Vegas beat the Winnipeg Jets in the first round, the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, the Stars in the Western Conference Final and the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final en route to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.
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