Well folks, the Vancouver Canucks made a major change over the weekend, and hired one of the most well-known coaches of the modern era. What’s more, the team went on to win their first game with Bruce Boudreau as the head coach. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, then we’ve got a quick rundown on who he is!
Born in Toronto, Ontario in 1955, Boudreau himself comes from a player’s background. He spent over a decade playing professional hockey, including stints for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Chicago Blackhawks. When he stopped playing, Boudreau pretty much immediately shifted into the coaching world.
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"I thought they played really hard and that's what I asked them to do. They were aggressive and they were on the puck."
🗣️ Head Coach Bruce Boudreau on his team's performance tonight#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/64xYXzYF8d
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) December 7, 2021
He spent over a decade coaching various AHL and minor-league teams, winning the Calder Cup (the AHL Championship) with the Hershey Bears in 2006. Then, the year after, Boudreau was named the interim head coach of the then-struggling Washington Capitals. In the 2008 season, he was named the best NHL coach of the year, winning the Jack Adams Award.
Boudreau went on to coach in both Anaheim and Minnesota, before getting fired from the Wild mid-season in early 2020. In 13 seasons of being an NHL coach, Boudreau has helped teams make playoffs 10 of those times.
However, he has yet to make it to the Conference Finals, or the Stanley Cup Finals with any team. Are we hoping that Vancouver proves to be the place he does it? You bet! And hey, he’s now 1 for 1 as head coach of the Canucks, so we’re off to a great start!
