NHL Coach of the Year Jim Montgomery thanks the support system after struggling with alcohol

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins won the Jack Adams Award Monday night as the National Hockey League’s Coach of the Year. But while celebrating the highest individual honor of his career, he felt it was important to remember the lowest point in his life.

“Three and a half years ago, the Dallas Stars terminated my contract because of my alcohol struggles,” he said during a moving speech at the NHL Awards Ceremony. “I had to change my actions and my behavior. And that led to the success that I experience every day now.

“For those out there who are struggling, you can change. You can affect change within yourself. It doesn’t happen alone. You need a team. You need a community. I’m lucky.”

The Stars fired Montgomery in December 2019 for what general manager Jim Neal described as “an unprofessional material act contrary to the values ​​and standards” espoused by the organization. In January 2020, Montgomery described the shooting as a “wake-up call” and revealed that he had checked himself into an inpatient residential program due to alcohol abuse.

In September, the St. Louis Blues hired him as an assistant coach, his first step into an NHL comeback.

“There are people I forgot to thank when I was there because I got nervous,” he said after the awards ceremony. “I wasn’t used to being spoken that way. Comfortable in the locker room. Not so much on a big stage like this. But Blues manager Doug Armstrong, owner Tom Stillman, and coach Craig Berube gave me a second chance.”

The Bruins hired him last summer to replace Bruce Cassidy. Boston went on to set regular season NHL records for wins (65) and points (135), leading Montgomery to win Coach of the Year.

He said the biggest lesson from his recovery was an “attitude of gratitude” every day.

He said, “I get up every day and write down what I’m grateful for, and that just keeps my head straight and creates happiness from within, and then I can be able to spread that happiness to others.”

Bruins goaltender Linus Allmark, who won the Vezina Trophy on Monday as the best goaltender in the National Hockey League, said Montgomery’s openness about his struggles helped him connect better with the players.

“For me, it hits home a little bit more because I’ve done it [addiction] In my family, too,” Allmark said. So him being open about it just shows that he’s leaving it all out there. He is very open, which makes you trust him. For me to trust him and he can trust us, you build that relationship, you build that connection with each other which is very important when it comes to a team environment.”

It’s important, Montgomery said, not to shy away from showing vulnerability.

“I’ve found that being vulnerable creates confidence more than anything else,” he said. “Being vulnerable is actually a strength. Everyone has things they fight in life.”

During his speech, Montgomery gave shout-outs to his support system, including: his 91-year-old mother, Dorothy, who was watching TV from Montreal; His three sisters and a brother. his children JB, Colin, Ava, and Oliva; and his wife, Emily, who he said “stuck around this guy through the ups and downs of his life.”

“People need support,” he said. “It’s important to know that people are not alone. And I’m so lucky that I’m not alone.”