If you see Kevin Montgomery behind a professional bench any time in the future, do not be surprised. After all, the seventh-year pro already has served there. Recovering from a serious leg injury, which he sustained in practice prior to last season, Montgomery’s team, Rodovre Mighty Bulls, gave him the option to coach while he recovered.
"We (also) joked a bit about that Kevin was the most expensive import ever," Jorgen Illemann, the Rodovre GM, quipped. "It’s not possible to cancel any contract. With his experience, it was actually simple, to me, that I would try to get some benefit from Kevin’s experience to our young players."
Granted, Montgomery, a Rochester, N.Y., native, had never wished, nor does he still, to begin his coaching career so young. A talented defenseman growing up, Montgomery was given the chance to play with the U.S. National Development Program. He would perform well in Michigan. He participated in the 2006 Under-18 Junior Championship, helping the U.S. to a gold medal. All of this helped earn him a spot at Ohio State.