NHL: Bruins to hire Jim Montgomery, Sabres extend Craig Anderson, and more
Anthony Scultore
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Jim Montgomery is on his way back to the NHL head coaching ranks as the next bench boss of the Boston Bruins per multiple reports on Thursday.
Montgomery, 53, made a splash as the head coach of the Dallas Stars after being hired back in May 2018. He helped lead the team back to playoff action after two consecutive misses in his rookie season.
The hire is expected to be made official today with the term reported to be three years at $2 million per season.
Bruins to hire Jim Montgomery
Dallas fired Montgomery after 32 games into his second for “unprofessional conduct.” Stars general manager Jim Nill didn’t provide further details.
Following the dismissal, Montgomery went into rehab for alcohol abuse.
“That firing was deserved. I wasn’t doing the right things,” he said. “I was asking my players to do the right thing and yet I wasn’t. I think it’s important to know thatĀ as I did before I went through all of this undertaking, of understanding science and what alcohol does to you.”
Montgomery got back on his feet as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues and is now going to replace Bruce Cassidy at their new head coach.
His head coaching record is 61-43-10.
Sabres extend Craig Anderson
Goaltender Craig Anderson is returning to the NHL for a 20th season.
Anderson, 41, signed a one-year contract worth $1.5 million to remain with the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
He posted a 17-12-2 record with a 3.12 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 31 starts in 2021-22. He joined the Sabres last July on a one-year contract worth $750,000.
“He gave us a chance to win when he was in the net,” Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Tuesday during an appearance on WGR 550.
“He played well, and he also gave our team confidence. When you look at our young D corps, just that kind of mentorship that he showed I think really went a long way for some of our defensemen.”
Anderson owns a 308-264-69 record with two ties in 683 career games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals and Sabres.
An Illinois native, Anderson was selected by the Blackhawks in the third round of the 2001 NHL Draft. He began play in the NHL during the 2002-03 season.
Stars extend Scott Wedgewood
The Dallas Stars and goaltender Scott Wedgewood agreed to a two-year contract extension Thursday.
The extension is worth $2 million ($1 million average annual value) and will keep Wedgewood in the Lone Star State through 2023-24.
Wedgewood, 29, projects as the Stars’ second option in net behind Jake Oettinger.
He arrived in Dallas in March via a trade with the Arizona Coyotes. He saw action in eight games, starting seven, and went 3-1-3 with a .913 save percentage and a 3.05 goals-against average.
At the NHL level, Wedgewood played two stints with the New Jersey Devils (2015-16, 2020-21) and two with the Coyotes (2017-18, 2021-22). In 77 career games (68 starts) he has a 23-33-14 record and a .906 save percentage along with a 3.10 goals-against average.
–Field Level Media contributed to this article