PLYMOUTH, Mass. – Jim Montgomery has not yet had many conversations with Taylor Hall. But one he did have with the winger over the summer still stands out.
“I think he’s really excited. I only got to spend five minutes with him [on Wednesday] while he was lifting. We’re going to sit down [Friday] a little more in earnest,” said Montgomery. “But I know that he texted me during the summer before [David] Krejci re-signed, ‘is Krejci coming back?’ So, I think he’s pretty excited.”
Hall certainly concurred.
“Yeah, it’s exciting. Personally, I felt that Krech and I had a lot of chemistry. Great hockey player, so smart, really good defensively – underrated in that aspect of the game – and a guy that’s gonna help our team, help our locker room…really excited to see him and get back on the ice with him,” Hall said during a press conference at the 19th Annual Boston Bruins Foundation Golf Tournament on Thursday at Pinehills Golf Club.
“He’s one of those guys that I felt was very easy to play with. Hope that he can hit the ground running with our group and, personally – if I’m playing with him through parts of the season – to get that chemistry back, I don’t think it’s gonna be too difficult.”
Hall skated alongside Krejci during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, forming a solid trio with Craig Smith, following his arrival to the Bruins via trade with the Buffalo Sabres. While they did not spend an extended period of time together, Hall believes there was significant harmony between the two.
“We talked a little bit throughout the season last year, but I wasn’t gonna take it upon myself to recruit him,” said Hall, who notched 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 games after teaming up with Krejci for two seasons. ago, said when asked if he played a factor in the veteran centerman’s return this summer.
“He’s gonna come back if he wants to and I think he saw the potential of our group this year and had that year away to kind of think about things. It’s great to see him back.”
Last season, Hall connected just as well David Pastrnak after former coach Bruce Cassidy sandwiched the two around Erik Haula in January. And with Montgomery saying earlier this summer that he suspects Hall, Krejci, and Pastrnak may start the season together, there is plenty of enthusiasm to go around.
“Two really good hockey players. Felt like Pasta and I developed a lot of chemistry last year and Krech and I had that from the season prior,” said Hall, who collected 61 points (20 goals, 41 assists) in 81 games last season. . “I don’t want to be too pass happy with those guys. All three of us can’t be too fancy if that’s the line that we’re playing together, lot of speed, lot of skill, obviously a great shooter in Pasta , and a guy in the middle that can play with anyone.
“That’s really exciting. We’ll see how it goes. You never know until you play that first regular season game or you play a few games together and you have to make minor adjustments. But two really good hockey players…really exciting for me “
Video: BUF@BOS: Hall puts a nifty Krejci feed into the twine
While Hall believes there will be plenty of offense generated should the trio end up together, he also noted that they would have to focus on shoring things up defensively in order to be depended upon in all situations.
“You put good hockey players together, especially those two guys, good things are gonna happen,” said Hall. “If that’s the line starting the year, the goals will come and the plays will happen. For us, we have to get the puck back and we have to be a line that can be relied on defensively in all three zones. I don’t.” t want to say the word exciting too much but there’s a lot of promise there.
“It’s given me a boost in my step to know that that could be a line that could do a lot of damage this year. Not to say that with Haula last year that we didn’t do some really good things because we did but Krech is a great player and he’s been a lifelong Bruin and he’s a guy that has a lot of stature in our locker room. We’re gonna rely on him to play well, to play well defensively, to give us leadership.”
Overall, Hall realizes there is even more opportunity for him this fall Brad Marchand expected to miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season as he recovers from offseason hip surgery. Both on the ice and in the dressing room, the 30-year-old sees room for growth.
“Obviously a lot going on, getting married and going on a honeymoon; it was a different summer that way. But was able to train – I ended the year really healthy last year which was nice, so I don’t have any excuses coming into the season. I’m not dealing with anything,” said Hall, who married longtime girlfriend Rachel Rush over the summer.
“There’s obviously a lot of opportunity for me personally. There’s some players out there that are marquee players for our team and there’s gonna be guys like myself that there’s a lot of opportunity, opportunity to lead, to play prime-time spots, and that’s really exciting for me.
“Got to take advantage of that. A little bit of pressure on guys like myself to fill those spots and to come into the year and be a guy that can be relied on.”
Video: Hall speaks with media on Thursday in Plymouth
Come Together
Montgomery and the rest of the Bruins coaching staff returned from a four-day retreat in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, on Wednesday as the group continues to get familiar with each other ahead of their first season together.
“We’ve spent a lot of time together as a staff,” said Montgomery. “Just, you know, going over language is really important so that we’re all on the same page. We’re all saying the same things so that it gets into the players’ minds quickly, whether we’re talking about breakouts or we’re talking about neutral zone or we’re talking about offensive zone, that the language is being consistent so they start using it as well.”
Boston’s new bench boss is also continuing to learn about his players, a process that continued on Thursday at the golf outing, during which he met some of them in person for the first time.
“Number 1 is getting to know the players and getting to know them as people, starting to develop a relationship with them and understanding the little subtle differences in how we’re going to play a little bit differently,” said Montgomery. “I mean, there’s not going to be a lot of overhaul changes. The Bruins were a really good hockey team. They won 51 games last year.”
While he has only been in town for about a month, Montgomery has already developed a strong understanding of the ethos that the Bruins are built upon.
“Just in general, just really impressed with the attitude and the culture here,” said Montgomery. “And everyone talks about Bergeron and Marchand and McAvoy and Krejci, but to me, it permeated throughout the locker room. Everyone I talked to has been talking about the Bruins and the Bruins way and how we do things and the accountability that’s within the dressing room. room, which is like a coach, I mean, that’s music to your ears.”
Video: Montgomery speaks with the media on Thursday
Wait, There’s More
- In addition to most of the current Bruins roster, dozens of Black & Gold alumni attended Thursday’s annual golf outing, including Ray Bourque, Rick Middleton, Derek Sanderson, Jean Ratelle, Normand Leveille, Tuukka Rask, Andrew Raycroft, Barry Pederson, Jay Miller, Bob Beers, and Andy Brickley. The event perennially acts as the unofficial kickoff to the Bruins season. “It’s a perfect day for golf today,” said Craig Smith. “Just excited to get back and see everybody here. Looks like everybody’s in great shape. We’re really excited to get to work with each other again.”
- Montgomery said he would not interfere with Pastrnak and his contract negotiations when the winger arrives back in Boston. “As a coach, I deal with the present. I deal with the right now,” he said. “You know, the contract situation, it’s out of my hands. It’s not part of what I do. And it doesn’t matter if he has a one-year contract or he’s going into an impending future deal. To me, I’m dealing with how he’s playing right now and how he can help the Bruins today.”
- The B’s bench boss also said he’ll be adopting the mantra of one of his fellow Boston coaches, Bill Belichick, over the first few weeks of the regular season. “I think the next-up mentality is something everyone stole from Bill Belichick down the road and anything that’s associated with winning like that,” said Montgomery. “I think we’re going to continue that kind of culture.”
- When it comes to younger players potentially beating out veterans for spots on the Opening Night roster, Montgomery added, “I think everything’s earned in this league. So, I think you have to unseat someone that’s ahead of you that’s always already been established in the league. That’s what training camps are for. It’s healthy competition to see who’s going to help the Bruins from Day 1.”
The boys are back together ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/cHJrh9jtsZ
– Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 15, 2022
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