Blues players give Jim Montgomery 'a lot of credit' for development into top-end producers

NEW YORK If youre a Blues player, you might check your phone and get a notification that your new head coach has sent you a TikTok.

(If) I see something that when Im sitting at home reading, or I do like to do TikTok, and I get something that I think relates and connects to our group, Ill send it out in a text thread, new Blues coach Jim Montgomery said Monday morning before making his Blues coaching debut in New York.

Blues players should know to expect this, of course, since Montgomery did this when he was an assistant coach in St.

Louis from 2020-22.

His familiarity with the Blues roster is part of the reason why both Montgomery and general manager Doug Armstrong felt he was a good fit back in St.

Louis.

He used to send me a lot of motivational stuff, and mindset stuff, Blues forward Robert Thomas said.

I really enjoyed it.

I obviously dont have TikTok and I cant watch them anymore, but it was pretty funny and really cool part about our relationship.

Montgomery: Because to me, even though when Im at home, I try to be very present with my own family.

Your mind when something connects with me emotionally, Im going to share that.

That lets the players know what kind of person I am, and that Im thinking about them.

Montgomerys relationship with Blues players was something that was a topic of conversation on his first game day as the St.

Louis coach.

Of the current 23-man active roster, 14 Blues players were around when Montgomery was an assistant back in 2021-22.

That was also the year that Thomas, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich each became point-per-game players for the first time in their careers.

A lot of us give him a lot of credit for taking big steps in our career to him: myself, Buchy, Rouzy, Thomas said.

He was a big part of getting us to the players we are today.

Its really exciting to be back with him and back on the ice with him today.

What aspects of Thomas game did Montgomery help bring out? A big thing was making the right play at the right time, puck possession, being on the right side of things, Thomas said.

At times, you can be a little bit more opportunistic and, at times, you need to play into the system.

He was a huge help for me, someone that I really relied on a couple years ago.

Cant say enough how excited I am to see him back here.

So many times in recent NHL seasons, the mood is tense after a coach is fired.

Most times, the team is underperforming and the coach pays the price with his job.

But general manager Doug Armstrong made it clear that Montgomerys availability and not the Blues 9-12-1 record was the motivating factor behind the change.

This one does feel different for sure, Blues captain Brayden Schenn said.

One, because he does know his players.

Two, hes so well-respected in this locker room.

Three, when we was here, he got a lot out of a lot of guys, self included.

Hes a guy that hes fun to be around, but at the same time, hes detailed and smart and guys respect him.

Montgomery will have to sort out how to squeeze more offense out of the Blues, particularly guys like Kyrou and Buchnevich, who Montgomery called skilled guys that think the game at a high level that compete.

To me, this is an offensive-slanted team, Montgomery said.

It just shows you how hard it is to score.

Weve got to get the details and being in the right areas, the hard areas at the right times to be able to score more.

But we have the ability to score goals.

The Blues entered Mondays game in New York 30th in the league scoring 2.36 goals per game.

(Montgomerys former team Boston was last at 2.32.) Hes detailed and structured, but at the same time, he lets his guys play hockey, Schenn said.

He wants his creative guys to be creative.

He wants his guys to play hard, he wants them to be aggressive, everything within the system.

He doesnt want everyone to play the same.

He doesnt want everyone to be robotic out there.

That was kind of his messaging.

Broberg on the ice Blues defenseman Philip Broberg was on the ice for morning skate on Monday, joining the team in New York and on the ice with the Blues for the first time since his lower-body injury on Nov.

2.

Broberg is three weeks into a projected 4-6 week timetable, but did not participate in every drill during skate on Monday.

On Sunday, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong was asked about the progress of both Broberg and Nick Leddy (lower-body).

Im not sure what close is anymore, Armstrong said.

Theyre skating, which is a positive.

Theyre not on the road trip (as of Sunday), which is a negative.

...

We cant worry about when they get back.

We have to be prepared to work tomorrow night.

When they get back, thats a bonus.

Monday nights game was the 11th that Broberg missed since he was injured against the Maple Leafs when Mitch Marner fell on his right knee.

On Bannister Before Thomas spoke about Montgomery, he wanted to make sure he talked about Drew Bannister, who was fired Sunday in order to make way for Montgomerys hiring.

He was a great person, great hockey mind, great coach, Thomas said.

I learned a lot from him as a player and also as a person.

I just want to say thank you to him.

Its always tough going through a change, and I wish him and his family all the best.

In the 64 games that Thomas was in the lineup under Bannister, he racked up 68 points and averaged 21:08 of ice time, more than a minute above the next closest Blues forward..

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