Jim Montgomery had his eyes on one other prize, however he could need to accept the Jack Adams Award.
To nobody’s shock, Montgomery was named one of many three finalists for the Adams – given to the highest coach within the National Hockey League – in his first yr with the Bruins.
Though the B’s historic season led to early and bitter disappointment, there’s little doubt that Montgomery is the favourite for the award after the B’s set the NHL file for wins (65), besting the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning and 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings, and factors (135), surpassing the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens.
The B’s additionally led the league in regulation wins (54), highway wins (31) and objective differential (plus-128).
While the season ended far earlier than anybody hoped, the common season exceeded the expectations of even probably the most optimistic Bruin followers. Starting the season with Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk all on the shelf after offseason surgical procedures, the B’s exploded out of the gate, using Montgomery’s new offensive system by which the defensemen grew to become extra energetic.
Thanks partly to the brand new aggressive method, two D-men – McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm – topped the 50-point plateau, whereas David Pastrnak grew to become the primary Bruin to achieve the 60-goal mark since Phil Esposito in 1974-75. The B’s have been second within the league in targets scored (3.67 per sport) whereas main the league in targets towards (2.12). The B’s additionally led the league in penalty kill (87.3%).
The different finalists for the award are the New Jersey Devils’ Lindy Ruff and the Seattle Kraken’s Dave Hakstol. The awards winners might be introduced the NHL Awards Show on June 26 in Nashville.
Poitras signed
The Bruins signed one in every of their high newbie prospects on Friday, inking heart Matthew Poitras to his three-year entry degree deal value an annual NHL cap hit of $870,000, with a minor league wage of $82,500.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Poitras was the B’s second-round choice (54th general) within the 2022 draft. Poitras, 19, had a superb season with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, gathering 16-79-95 totals in 63 video games, rating second within the OHL in assists and fifth in factors.
It was a giant bump up from his draft yr in 2021-22, when he had 21-29-50 totals in 68 video games. …
The B’s brass – CEO Charlie Jacobs, president Cam Neely, GM Don Sweeney and Montgomery – will maintain their last autopsy press convention on Tuesday at Legends within the Garden.
Source: www.bostonherald.com