Blues GM Is Fully Transparent About What Led to Coaching Change

Yes, the St. Louis Blues have been disappointing in their 9-12-1 start to the 2024-25 season. But firing head coach Drew Bannister and replacing him with Jim Montgomery had nothing to do with the team's record, says GM Doug Armstrong.

In a fully transparent admission, rare in sports these days, Armstrong says the only reason he let Bannister go today was because a much better coach became available.

Army: "This was more of an opportunity to get someone of Jim's caliber than anything else. This decision was based, I would say, almost 100 percent on having someone of Jim's caliber become available when I didn't know that was going to happen." #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) November 24, 2024

"This was more of an opportunity to get someone of Jim's caliber than anything else," Armstrong told the media today. "This decision was based, I would say, almost 100 percent on having someone of Jim's caliber become available when I didn't know that was going to happen."

Montgomery was fired by the Boston Bruins this past week after their chaotic start to the season, despite the fact he had compiled an incredible 120-41-23 record in Beantown for a .715 winning percentage.

Army: "When I woke up Wednesday morning, there was no inclination to make a coaching change. When Jim got let go in Boston, (he) certainly was someone I've respected, someone I admired, someone I felt had all the attributes to be a long-term coach for the Blues. (MORE)
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) November 24, 2024

Armstrong admitted that when he woke up on Wednesday, he had no plans whatsoever to make a coaching change. But then the shocking news came down of Montgomery being let go by the Bruins that morning, and things changed. Armstrong says he explained his thought process openly and honestly to Bannister.

Bannister took over as interim head coach in December 2023 after the Blues fired Craig Berube. Bannister was promoted to permanent Head Coach after last season. He went 30-19-5 as interim coach and 39-31-6 overall with the Blues.

Montgomery was quite familiar to Armstrong, having served as an assistant coach in St. Louis from 2020 through 2022 before taking over as the Bruins bench boss. He was also head coach of the Dallas Stars for a couple of years in his first go-round behind the bench in the NHL.