The St. Louis Blues are on a two-game winning streak and are 3-1-3 over their last seven games back, dating back to the start of the long road trip. That is a nice grouping, but of course, you cannot ignore the three points left on the board with those three overtime losses.
Where does this leave head coach Jim Montgomery? Has his seat gotten hotter, or are things starting to cool off a little bit?
Let's talk about it.
Hot seat update
Prior to the last seven games, there was a small but valid argument for Montgomery to be on the hot seat. This Blues team did not have an identity, and everything about them was just thrown together without rhyme or reason. Sloppy play was the norm, and there was no sense of things getting better.
Now, with points in six of their last seven games, the temperature that was approaching 90 degrees has been lowered to a nice and cool 78. The idea of Montgomery not being on the hot seat is not set in stone, as it is very possible for a couple of losses to re-ignite that flame.
The December stretch is a tough one, but it could be very rewarding for the Blues. Three games against the Nashville Predators get the Blues far and away from the bottom of the Central, and then tilts with Chicago and Winnipeg put either one of the three on the right path toward the playoffs. Finally, can the Blues be spoilers to the best team in hockey, the Colorado Avalanche?
Montgomery is going to continue to be under the microscope all season long, but this might be the biggest month of them all. With a solid ending to November, can he carry it over as the holidays arrive?
For now, everything is calm for Montgomery and his job security, but if more losses pile up, watch for the hot seat to be turned back up once again.