Drama Surfaces Between The Bruins Head Coach And New Captain

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Hunter Bowman
December 8, 2023 (11:47)

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Last Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins captain, Brad Marchand, really took charge. He fired off eight shots and clinched the game with an overtime goal. The next day, facing the Columbus Blue Jackets, Marchand pulled off something amazing�a natural hat trick in just eight minutes during the third period, securing a solid 3-1 victory for the Bruins. However, in there recent game against the Buffalo Sabres, Marchand scored the only goal in a 3-1 defeat for our Boston squad.

During the morning skate in Toronto, our insider Fluto Shinzawa noticed Marchand trying out some new sticks. He even played around with a longer stick before going back to his trusty wooden one, saying, "Too many people in my head." Some thought it might be a subtle dig at our head coach, Jim Montgomery, who's implementing a new system in Boston, prompting Marchand to make a few tweaks.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman in his latest "32 Thoughts" column, Marchand mentioned clashes with Coach Montgomery. Marchand spilled the beans that Montgomery made changes to our breakouts, moving from a more fluid, read-and-react style to a structured approach. Marchand joked about wanting to stick to the old ways, but the coach prefers the new method for increased familiarity.

«[He] then told us that coach Jim Montgomery made a change to their breakouts. It used to be about reading and reacting to each other. With all of the changes, Montgomery demands more structure, and Marchand joked that there are times he wants to do things the old way, but the coach prefers this method until there is more familiarity.»

Despite some pushback from Marchand, it seems the Bruins trust Coach Montgomery's decisions, especially when they lead to success on the ice. This dynamic shows that the team relies on Jim Montgomery to guide the Bruins to another playoff appearance, even if there are some differences with the captain.

Marchand's season stats are impressive, with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 25 games, putting him in second place on the team, just behind David Pastrnak's 36. Despite potential disagreements with his coach, Marchand is on track to hit a point-per-game or better for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.

Source: Bruinsinsider