Jim Montgomery gets emails from people he doesn’t know.
University of Maine hockey fans disgruntled with coach Tim Whitehead and the team’s 2-9-1 start want the general manager and head coach of the Dubuque (Iowa) Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League to return to Orono and restore the program to its glory days.
But the captain of the Black Bears’ 1992-93 (42-1-2) NCAA championship team and the school’s all-time leading scorer doesn’t dwell on the emails.
If school administrators contacted him about coaching at Maine someday, he said he would listen.
However, he supports Whitehead and said he likes the current freshman class, especially center Devin Shore and defenseman Ben Hutton.
“As alums, we’re all pulling for the program to return to the upper echelon of Hockey East, win championships and raise banners.
“I’m sure Tim and his staff are doing everything they can to get there,” said Montgomery, a former assistant at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Notre Dame.
Montgomery has had a lot of success in his two-plus seasons at Dubuque.
He won the league’s Clark Cup given to the tournament champion in his first season and was named the league’s top general manager. They earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference by virtue of their 37-14-9 record.
The nine represents overtime losses.
Last season, the Fighting Saints went 36-20-4 and finished third in the Eastern Conference and were knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.
This season, they are 16-2-1 and are leading the Eastern Conference.
Twelve of his players have verbally committed to attend Division I schools in the future, including four to Hockey East schools.
None are going to Maine, but his former two-year goalie, Matt Morris, is a freshman at Maine.
Montgomery said he hasn’t heard from the Maine coaching staff but pointed out that there are a lot of other schools that haven’t contacted him, either, and blamed it on the current recruiting trend.
“I’m shocked at the number of schools that haven’t approached us because we have one of the best teams in junior hockey. But the problem with college recruiting now is they have players tied up two years in advance so they don’t have any scholarships left,” said Montgomery, referring to the fact schools receive verbal commitments from players who are just 15 and 16 years old to try to get a leg up on rival recruiters.
Maine has received verbal commitments from seven players who are currently with other teams in the USHL, which is considered the top junior league in the country.
The 43-year-old Montgomery, who had 301 points in his four years at Maine, said he has been “extremely surprised” at his team’s start.
“I don’t think anyone in the league thought we’d be where we are. We didn’t either. We thought we’d consistently get better every month and, by playoff time, we’d be one of the top teams in the league,” said Montgomery. “But we have a lot of players who can make plays and who compete hard. They have a lot of hockey sense and see the ice well. We have a very good team. Our defense is mobile and can move the puck and our forwards are extremely smart and play with a lot of purpose at both ends of the ice.”
His leading scorer, center Mike Szmatula (16 goals, 14 assists in 19 games), is going to Northeastern next year.
“They play hard for each other and it’s a fun group to coach,” said Montgomery, who has former Maine assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Grant Standbrook back on his payroll as his part-time assistant coach/goalie coach.
“Grant makes everybody better, especially me,” said Montgomery about the recent Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame inductee.
“I call him HOF now,” quipped Montgomery, who had a five-team, 122-game NHL career.
Montgomery, who has already coached 24 Division I players, including Boston College star Johnny Gaudreau, to go with the 12 who have committed to attend Division I schools in the future, said he is enjoying himself.
“I love it. Every year is a new challenge,” said Montgomery, who has two young sons, J.P. and Colin, with wife Emily.
Tick, tock, Timmy. Tick, tock.
Mr. Abbott, please contact Jimmy and have this deal ready to announce when the season is over!!!!
I for one would like to see a new staff for Maine hockey. Maine hockey was strong in the past because the staff they they put together. There are plenty of good coaches out there that Steve needs to take a look at. Not just the head coach, but two quality people that can assist and get the job done and lead by example. Jim couldn’t recruit at RPI and there record showed and not to mention some other issues that will hold him back My point here is to build a staff that looks similar to what Shawn had and what other hockey east teams have now. They are out there.
Grant Standbrook
Bobby Corkum
Abbott needs to make the call now and get Montgomery here. No reason to delay any longer.
Mr. Montgomery saying all of the right things……well played. Hopefully, you will behind the bench in Orono next season.
How is he “pulling for UMO” based on his comment that he is willing to listen if Abbott calls him about the HC job???
Bye bye Tim, unless u make it to Boston. Any takers on that ????
Forget about Montgomery. Get Standbrook back. He was one of the best recruiters Maine has ever had. When he left, the team started going down hill. I would be willing to bet alot of Montgomery’s success is because of Grant. Get him back.
I would agree that you could make the argument that any coach who knows or has coached with Grant would say he makes them better. That being said, I think the only way Maine gets Grant is if its Monty. They are already working together it would be an ideal situation to continue doing so at a familiar place they both take pride in. I don’t think if you were to get for example a Lehman here that you would get Grant too. Either way is better than current situation however.
Very valid point. Monty was such a great leader while playing for Maine that he would not be a bad choice to replace Whitehead if they were to go down that road. I just feel the have been very lacking in the recruiting department since Grant left. He would be a big piece of putting the puzzle back together. This season has been an embarrassment so far.
And that is exactly it! Grant brings integrity and is a recruiting professional. That would be the greatest attribute he would bring. That would be hos primary duty no more than really being a consultant and sitting in living rooms giving parents comfidence if their kids chose Maine they will develop as men and hockey players. The other instant change you would see is his work with the goalies. No doubt he would quitely be behind the scenes making a huge difference.
Yes, Shawn’s success also attributable to Grant. Need him back, badly. Still lives in Orono, hmmm wonder why. But, getting the recruits to Orono only step 1. Monty great coach so we can’t forget about him. We need him in Orono too.
Of course Monty is going to say he supports the Maine coaching staff – why wouldn’t he? He is obviously well adept at handling the media and portraying a positive image, which is exactly how he handled himself throughout his time in Orono. He is an excellent coach with a proven track record in the USHL and obviously knows how to recruit and develop players. Only 2 years allowed for players in the USHL – so always recruiting and bringing in new guys and coaching them into the program – both things that Whitehead is terrible at. Most coaches stay in the USHL for 2 years as well, before they move onto DI positions. Dean Blais and Dave Hasktol are 2 guys who took this path. Gotta wonder whether Monty will take a job somewhere in DI after this season, and if it’s not at Maine they I sure hope it’s not elsewhere in HEA or you can write another 3 losses per season for Maine – in pen.