It all comes down to the coach

By Nola Patty

Team chemistry. A thing many people look past. But not the Boston Bruins. This year’s team has the most coherence I’ve seen in a long time. The passes connect, the shots hit the net, and the hits shut down plays from the other team. It seems like it has all clicked. But what changed from last season? It’s simple to answer really: the coach. 

After Bruce Cassidy was fired from his position as head coach, many fans questioned if this was the right choice. I even questioned it. I liked Cassidy. Bruins fans were very weary of how well of a job new Head Coach Jim Montgomery was gonna do. Short answer, he is doing fantastic. 

According to former NHL defenseman Keith Yandle, “The biggest thing is the coaching. Bringing in Monty — he’s a guy everyone loved in Dallas,” he then continued with “I’ve played with guys who played for him in college and they loved him. The way that the guys are playing, they’re playing hard for him, and playing loose.” Even players from past teams love Montgomery. 

The Boston Bruins are having a record season right now. Some big achievements already are Linus Ullmark’s goalie goal against the Vancouver Canucks, the Bruins being the fastest team in NHL history to reach 100 points, and many career highs for the guys on the team. Even the new guys are coming in hot. New trade-in Dmitry Orlov (defenseman) bagged nine points in his first four games as a Bruin. 

 This year’s goalie duo is like none other. On some teams, the goalies don’t get along because they are fighting for a spot on the starting line, but these goalies genuinely love each other. My mother got the opportunity to meet both of the goalies and when Ullmark was asked how the goalie hug started he responded “When you love someone you hug them.” The guys on the team love each other and want each other to succeed.

 That all comes from the coach’s attitude. He wants them to feel supported and to feel loved by one another. That’s how you get a team who works together instead of against each other. All in all, support from a coach can take a team a long way through the season. Coach Montgomery established the team’s chemistry early in the season. That is why the Boston Bruins are having a historic run.