The Truth Boston Bruins Fans Don’t Want to Hear, Let Alone Admit

When you think the Boston Bruins have hit rock-bottom in 2024-25, they surprise you. Or should it be a surprise? Through 20 games of the season, they are 8-9-3 after a disappointing 5-1 loss at home to the Columbus Blue Jackets Monday night.

One step forward, two steps back has been the theme for the Black and Gold so far this season, or in the case of Monday night, thre steps back as in another three-game losing streak. What can be done to turn things around before the season gets too far away from them remains to be seen. They certainly don’t look like a team that will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs right now.

There have been rumors that GM Don Sweeney has been working the phones for a trade to shake things up, but what deal will he make to do that? There is no cap space and if a deal is done, money would have to go out to bring money back in. Not easy. Does Sweeney fire Jim Montgomery? That would likely be playing into the player's hands as it seems recently like they have quit in games. In the end, that seems like the course of action that they’ll eventually take, right or wrong, but one thing is clear for Bruins’ fans, other than Montgomery or a player or two, nobody is going anywhere.

Bruins will not fire Don Sweeney or Cam Neely

Firing the coach seems like the easy way for Sweeney and Team President Cam Neely, but truth be told, neither one of them is going anywhere, anytime soon. It’s not what the Jacobs would do. Is it right? Maybe not, but don’t get your hopes up that either former Bruins player gets their walking papers. 

Right now, Montgomery is taking the fall for the front office’s shortcomings in the construction of this roster. He’s a human shield for both of them. They gave Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov the contracts they have and what a disaster that they have turned into the first quarter of the season. Lindholm has no confidence and no answers. Jeremy Swayman missed all of training camp because of his contract situation and his play shows it. His latest stinker was against the Blue Jackets, which Montgomery called out his netminder after the game. 

Montgomery was not the one who let Jake DeBrusk or Danton Heinen leave in free agency for the Vancouver Canucks. Montgomery is also not the one who didn’t sign Pat Maroon for a veteran presence in the bottom six that brings toughness. Montgomery isn’t the one who let Tyler Bertuzzi walk after the 2022-23 season. How would DeBrusk, Heinen, or Bertuzzi look in the Boston lineup right now? Couldn’t be any worse than what you’re getting. Who knew what DeBrusk meant to the Bruins even when he wasn’t playing well?

There are a lot of problems right now with the Bruins from roster construction, to the players and coaching. Right or wrong, Montgomery is going to take the fall for everything and his body language and comments tend to point him ready to take the fall. If that does happen, that would mean Sweeney and Neely have fired two Jack Adams Award winners and left to find their replacement. History shows that finding the next coach isn’t easy. They fired Bruce Cassidy and he went on to win the Stanley Cup the following season with the Vegas Golden Knights. The same season the Black and Gold set the NHL record for wins and points in a season in 2022-23.

The Bruins might be headed for the NHL Draft Lottery and in the overall big picture, that might not be a bad thing. This team isn’t a championship contender this season and let’s face it, Sweeney and Neely are not going anywhere. For now. It’s something that Bruins fans don’t want to hear, let alone admit.