Boston has a reputation of being a big city with a small town feel, but this connection between Jim Montgomery and the New England Patriots takes that idea to a whole new level.
The Bruins head coach has not spoken with his Boston peers, but the first-year bench boss is hoping to speak to Bill Belichick, especially after a mutual companion connected the two.
“Oddly enough, (Sunday) I was sitting at one of my kids’ hockey games and a friend of mine from St. Louis — whose daughter is (dating Patriots quarterback) Mac Jones — had texted me that he was standing with Belichick and he wanted to talk to me,” Montgomery told reporters Monday, per team-provided transcript. “I was watching my kids’ game and I said, ‘Can I call him tonight,’ because I’m dying to talk to Belichick. I’d drive to the game tonight if he had five minutes for me, but no that’s something I want to build.”
That’s right, Montgomery is friends with the parent of Jones’ girlfriend. What a small world.
Though it sounds like the Bruins bench boss will not be at the Patriots “Monday Night Football” game against the Chicago Bears, it should be an interesting conversation with Belichick.
Montgomery is also an admirer of Brad Stevens. While he does not share a similar connection to the Celtics president of basketball operations, he is still excited to speak with the former head coach.
“(I’ve watched him) from his days at Butler and his time coaching the Celtics because I find a lot of similarities for the both of us,” Montgomery said. “Butler was always recognized for a great culture, and I’ve read articles on the culture that was in place and I’ve stolen some of them.
“We had similar ideas and concepts on how you treat people and how you deal with people, and I just want to pick his brain and then what changed at the pro level because you have to adjust.”
Montgomery has certainly brought his own style and culture to the Bruins, which has produced solid results through six games as the Black and Gold command a 5-1 record. Boston will hope to win three in a row it plays the Dallas Stars at TD Garden on Tuesday.
