After a start to the season well below expectations, the Boston Bruins decided to fire Jim Montgomery on Tuesday. The coach from Montreal was in his third season at the helm of the Massachusetts team.
• Also read: Jim Montgomery fired
He is the first head instructor to lose his position during the 2024-2025 season. However, he may not be the only one.
Here are three other coaches who are in an ejection seat at the start of the campaign.
Mike Sullivan | Penguins de Pittsburgh
At the helm of the Penguins since the middle of the 2015-2016 season, Sullivan seems to be reaching the end of his rope. Its core is aging and succession is almost non-existent.
After winning back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017 and maintaining a high standard of success, Sullivan failed to lead his team to the playoffs the last two seasons.
If the Penguins decide to begin a youth transition, they could opt for a new voice behind the bench.
Derek Lalonde | Red Wings de Detroit
The Red Wings aren’t going anywhere. The team continues to add late-career veterans, but consistently misses the playoffs.
Even though Lalonde came close to leading his team to the playoffs last season, he failed a second time in his attempt. And everything indicates that he will fail once again this year, since the team is off to a very ordinary start with only seven victories in 18 games.
General manager Steve Yzerman’s plan needs an electric shock and a firing behind the bench could be a solution being considered.
Andrew Brunette | Predators de Nashville
With the many major summer acquisitions, many believed that the Predators had the weapons to compete with the best teams in the Western Conference. However, the cake has not yet set.
The Tennessee team has won only six of its 19 games so far and occupies the penultimate place in the Central section. Only the poor Chicago Blackhawks, in the heart of a reconstruction, are doing worse in the West so far.
If the product doesn’t improve, a coaching change could be in GM Barry Trotz’s plans.
➤ Other names to watch: John Tortorella (PHI), Lindy Ruff (BUF), Luke Richardson (CHI).
