On Sunday, St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong announced that the organization had relieved head coach Drew Bannister from his duties, hiring the recently-fired Jim Montgomery to replace him.

Just a few days ago, Montgomery was the bench boss of the Boston Bruins, the place he called home for the past three seasons. Given the slow start in Boston, the Bruins ultimately decided that a coaching change was needed to wake the team up, leaving Montgomery without a position.

However, it didn’t take long for the 2022-23 Jack Adams Award winner to find a new team to run, as he was named the 28th coach in the Blues’ history.

Bannister, who became the head coach of St. Louis’ AHL affiliate in 2021-22, was promoted to his new position as interim head coach following the firing of previous head coach Craig Berube during the 2023-24 season. Bannister’s position became permanent following a solid performance last season, making him the official head coach back in May.

Unfortunately, the Blues haven’t been performing as expected securing just nine wins out of 22 games so far this season, placing them five points back from the Edmonton Oilers for the last wild card sport in the Western Conference.

This will be Montgomery’s fifth season as a head coach including two seasons with the Dallas Stars in 2018 until 2020. In 298 NHL games, Montgomery has recorded 180 wins and 84 losses.

Montgomery will be seen behind the St. Louis bench for the first time on Monday when the Blues take on the New York Rangers who currently sit fifth in the Western Conference with 25 points.

Jumbo Joe has officially made his return to San Jose in an honourable fashion.

On Saturday night ahead of the Sharks’ game against the Buffalo Sabres, the team honoured one of their most prized players by retiring Joe Thorton’s No.19 in the presence of his former teammates, family, and friends who came out to celebrate the occasion alongside him.

Behind Patrick Marleau, Thornton is just the second player to have his number retired and lifted in memory of the success he brought to San Jose.

Marleau’s No. 12 was the first to be retired and raised into the rafters of the SAP Center in February 2023.

During the ceremony, Thornton spoke to the thousands of fans just as if they too were his family, making jokes and even revealing his family has been billeting first overall pick Macklin Celebrini and thanking him for his help with his kids’ math homework.

Thornton’s chapter in NHL history started back in 1997 when he was drafted first overall by the Boston Bruins in the NHL Entry Draft.

He started his inaugural season with the team that same year scoring three goals and seven points throughout 55 games. As his career progressed season by season, so did his production. By the time he was traded to San Jose, he had one 100-point season under his belt.

Although Boston is where it all began for Thornton, San Jose is where his passion for the game thrived, and the city showed all their love back. Throughout 15 seasons with the Sharks Thornton played in 1104 games recording 251 goals and 1055 points. Those 1104 games inked his name in the history books as the third most games played by a San Jose player. He also held the honour of becoming captain for four seasons helping lead the team to their first-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2016.

He spent his final two NHL seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers before making the decision to hang up the skates following the 2021-22 season. Throughout 24 years in the league, Thornton recorded 430 goals and 1539 points.

Now every time a fan or player looks into the rafters at the SAP player they will remember the legacy that Jumbo Joe left on the ice every game of his career.

Everyone knows how good the Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby is, and now they can officially say he’s 600 goals good.

The Penguins captain had a milestone night on Saturday as the team took on the Utah Hockey Club. Minutes into the second period off a feed from teammate Kris Letang Crosby one-timed a goal past netminder Karel Vejmelka officially making his 600th NHL goal.

The momentous goal on Saturday night came as Crosby’s eighth of the season, though the Penguins fell 6-1 to Utah.

Crosby is the first player since Washington Capitals Alexander Ovechkin in 2018 to achieve the 600-goal mark, making him the 21st player overall to do so. He’s been known to be a highly efficient player in the NHL with three 40-goal seasons under his belt and one career-high 51-goal season that earned him the honour of winning his first Rocket Richard Trophy in 2010.

Crosby first etched his name into NHL history in 2005 when the Penguins selected him first overall during the NHL Entry Draft. His inaugural season during 2005-06 was one for the record books, at just 18 years old Crosby scored 39 goals and 102 points and it continued to get better from there. In his second season, the 19-year-old recorded 120 points earning himself the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award for his accomplishments that season.

In 2009-09 the Penguins achieved the ultimate title, becoming Stanley Cup Champions the first of three for Crosby in particular. Throughout his career Crosby continued to shine winning two more Ted Lindsay Awards (2012-13 and 2013-14), another Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy (2013-14), two Maurice Richard Trophies (2009-10 and 2016-17), a Mark Messier Leadership Award (2009-10), two Conn Smythe Trophies (2015-16 and 2016-17), and of course two more Stanley Cup Championships (2016 and 2017).

Across 19 NHL seasons, Crosby has posted 600 goals and 1617 points, placing him 10th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list. Although production has slowed down over the years, Crosby will forever be known as one of the greatest to step on the ice.