( Photo Credit: Mark Blinch / Getty Images )

By: Chad Jones I Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones

With the Boston Bruins relieving Jim Montgomery of his head coaching duties, there is still plenty of internal blame to hand out within the organization behind the team’s 8-9-3 record. Don Sweeney and Cam Neely deserve a hefty portion of criticism due to their drafting woes, poor free-agent signings, and ineffective replacement of productive players.

However, eight current Bruins players are holdovers from Bruce Cassidy’s coaching tenure: Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Jeremy Swayman, and Trent Frederic. When the Bruins let Cassidy go after the 2021-2022 season, when the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated Boston in the first round, rumblings began that Cassidy’s abrasive coaching style had run its course in the locker room.

But a mere 28 months later, the Bruins find themselves in the exact same position, firing a head coach. Every player dawning the Spoked-B this year bears some responsibility for their lousy start. However, the veterans in this organization deserve the most criticism.

Certain expectations must be met for the highest-paid players and those who wear letters on their chests. They are the ones who receive praise and accolades when the team flourishes. But there is a flip side to that coin. They should be held accountable for the team’s shortcomings when the season goes awry.

And while it has been frustrating that the Bruins have not been able to finish high-danger chances and bury power play opportunities with more regularity, they have lacked in the other essential aspects of this sport. Their attention to detail, not taking ill-advised penalties, competing for a 60 full minutes, and being engaged and ready to go every night have not been anywhere near the standard this organization has set since Boston signed Zdeno Chara in the summer of 2006.

“Definitely not happy with the way things have been going,” Marchand told the media after Boston’s 5-1 home loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night. “We need to be much better in a lot of areas. Mistakes are gonna happen in the game, and we’re compounding them. It’s not acceptable to continue to have the same mistakes and do the same things over and over.”

The Bruins captain also discussed the importance of the team’s competitive energy. He added Boston has been able to deliver that effort in spurts this season, but the team has failed to put together a complete 60-minute performance where they stayed true to their identity.  

Montgomery, Sweeney, and Neely played significant roles in Boston’s disappointing start. But the players themselves should not be let off the hook. The core leaders in the Bruins’ dressing room have failed to hold up their end of the bargain. It is one thing to go through a scoring slump, play sloppy in your own zone, or let in some soft goals. That happens to even the best players and teams.

But it is simply unacceptable for a team to consistently lack energy. Too often this season, the Black and Gold have looked disengaged as a collective unit. Joe Sacco could take the reins as Boston’s new interim head coach and get the team back on track. But if the Bruins are to turn their season around, the best players and veterans need to raise their intensity and play.