Guy Boucher has been named as the new head coach of the Ottawa Senators.
Sens have named Guy Boucher as their next head coach.
— Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes) May 8, 2016
Boucher and the Senators were able to come to terms on a three year contract, announcing him as the 12th head coach in Senators franchise history.
This annoucement came less than 24 hours after the Minnesota Wild announced Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach. Although there was a lot of speculation that Boudreau was the favourite for the Senators head coaching job, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk seems to say otherwise in a statement on the hiring of Boucher, claiming he was the top choice for the job.
“Following a detailed evaluation of all coaching candidates, there was overwhelming consensus that Guy was our top candidate” ~ Eugene Melnyk
Guy Boucher last and only tenure in the NHL was with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Boucher coached the Lightning from 2010 to 2013, at a 97-78-20 record. The Lightning were only able to make it to the post-season once under Boucher, in his first year, losing in the Eastern Conference Final. Since being fired from Tampa Bay, Boucher was hired by the Swiss hockey club known as SC Bern. Boucher coached Bern to a 44-29-5 record, spread over three seasons, before again was relieved of his duties.
The Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Quebec native has also been on board coaching with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs in 2009-10, winning a division title, and QMJHL’s Drumondville Votigeurs had their best season in history, where he helped lead them to the Memorial Cup tournament in 2008-09.
Internationally, Boucher has had success being an assistant coach for Canada’s U-18 team, where he won a gold medal in 2008. Following that, he won gold as an assistant for Canada during the 2009 IIHF World Juniors. He also served as head coach for Canada during the 2014 and 2015 Spengler Cup. He again led Canada to gold in 2015.
Boucher replaces recently fired, Dave Cameron. Cameron who came in halfway through the 2014-15 season, only coached 137 games for a 70-50-17 record. Cameron was on board for the fantastic run the Senators put on in the end of the 2015 season to make it in the playoffs. However, this season the team didn’t contend for the playoffs, missing out and finishing fifth in the Atlantic division.
