How could Montgomery impact the Blues in the long term?
Building a system and establishing a team culture
Montgomery is in a position to potentially have a bigger impact on the Blues as a team and an organization than a single player or a high draft pick could (not including generational talent, of course). The principal difference he could make is to build a successful, winning system and culture for the Blues.
Take the Carolina Hurricanes, for instance. Their head coach, Rod Brind'amour, has built a system and a culture that has been more central to their regular season success than any single player. Even when key contributors like Jake Guentzel and Brady Skjei are removed from the equation, the Canes continue to dominate (14-5-1 so far this season). Brind'amour has built a system and culture in which the players operate as a team, rather than relying on individual success.
The St. Louis Blues may not be the Carolina Hurricanes, but Jim Montgomery can take some lessons from Rod Brind'amour's success. The Blues will need to build a winning culture and an effective team-system to once again become a contender.
Development of young players
Montgomery will be at the helm in St. Louis to see some promising young talent that the Blues are relying on to improve as a team. Jake Neighbours had a breakout season in 2023-24, and Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg may have accelerated the retool timeline. Prospects like Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorsky aren't far off either.
The development of these young players will depend greatly on how Montgomery deploys and utilizes them. Will Neighbours continue to grind at the front of the net? Could Broberg become the power play quarterback? Will Dvorsky provide talent at the center position that the Blues desperately need? Montgomery has the ability to answer these questions, and and the opportunity to help these young players become leaders for the Blues, just as he did with Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou when he was an assistant coach.
There's a lot hinging on Jim Montgomery. But his strengths as a head coach, along with his experience as a winner and a leader, could be one of the key reasons the Blues become a contending team yet again.