Drew Bannister has been fired as head coach of the St. Louis Blues after less than a full calendar year in the role. The team made the surprising decision on Sunday, just a quarter into the NHL season, replacing Bannister with Jim Montgomery. Montgomery, 55, returns to a head coaching position five days after being dismissed by the Boston Bruins.
Bannister, who was promoted to head coach in May after initially taking over as interim coach last December, struggled to lead the Blues to success. Despite winning 30 of their final 54 games last season, the Blues missed the playoffs, and this season they had a disappointing 9-13 record through 22 games. Following a significant roster overhaul, including the acquisition of players like Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, the Blues hoped to make a playoff push, but Bannister's firing signals a change in direction.
Montgomery, who has a strong track record of success, is tasked with getting the Blues back into playoff contention. He has led every team he coached for a full season to the postseason and boasts a .659 points percentage, one of the best in NHL history. Montgomery was let go by the Bruins after a rough 8-9-3 start this season, despite a successful tenure in Boston that included setting NHL records for victories and points in 2021-22.
Montgomerys first stint as a head coach ended abruptly in 2019 when he was fired by the Dallas Stars for unprofessional conduct. He later sought rehabilitation, and his career was revived when he joined the Blues' staff as an assistant coach in 2020 under Craig Berube.
