BOUCHER READY FOR ANYTHING NEXT SEASON
Coach could well have to work with lineup of promising but unproven players
Ottawa Senators coach Guy Boucher remains enthusiastic.
Even with captain Erik Karlsson’s future very much in the air — he could possibly be traded within the next few days — and with the organization staring ahead at a lineup that could be filled with largely unproven prospects, Boucher is preaching positives.
“I don’t know who is going to be on our team and that’s what makes it a little more difficult to tell you exactly what our look is going to be,” Boucher said Friday, speaking publicly for the first time since general manager Pierre Dorion announced in May the entire coaching staff would be returning for the 2018-19 season. “We’re ready for option A, option B, option C.”
Boucher wasn’t touching any of the talk surrounding option K (or a lack of option K). On Sunday, Dorion will offer Karlsson a contract extension. If the Senators captain doesn’t accept the deal, the door is open for trade possibilities. Rumblings about Karlsson going to the Vegas Golden Knights won’t go away.
“It has been documented all over the place and there has been all kinds of speculation, but to me — some guys are on the team, some guys are not on the team for different reasons — Pierre is taking care of that,” Boucher said. “After that, we will have a better picture. I don’t want to get into those things because that’s Pierre’s territory.”
Boucher, speaking only moments before watching the club’s top prospects compete in a scrimmage at the Richcraft Sensplex, was also dancing a bit on the topic of what Dorion has previously described as a “broken dressing room,” part of the reason why Mike Hoffman was traded away before the NHL entry draft last week.
“There were many things we needed to address and will be addressed, but for us I’m not going backwards; I’m going forwards,” he said. “I’m not going there.”
Boucher, who had shown a reluctance to play younger players in his first two seasons behind the Senators bench, is all in on the youth movement. He has no choice.
Now entering the final year of his contract, his survival behind the Senators bench will largely be based on how quickly the club’s wave of youth can adapt to the NHL. Among the forwards, Colin White, Filip Chlapik, Logan Brown, Alex Formenton and Drake Batherson are part of that group. On defence, Thomas Chabot, Christian Wolanin and Christian Jaros are in position to earn themselves NHL playing time.
In that regard, Boucher said it’s paramount that veterans including Mark Stone and Matt Duchene show the way for the next generation.
“It is wide open,” the coach said.
“(The veterans) have a lot of work to do. That’s where they are in their careers. They can take it and some of those (young) guys will play with them.
“I’m looking forward to, if we can, have a young guy on every line. It depends on how they do, but I would love to have the greatest number of young guys make our team.”
For what it’s worth — and we’ll have to look back to see if this hasn’t been said after every development camp any team has ever held — Boucher said the first few days of the current development camp have been outstanding, the best he has seen since joining the organization.
“There are legitimate prospects knocking on the door right now,” he said.
As for his own security — or lack thereof — Boucher insists he isn’t losing sleep about entering the final year of his contract. It’s a scenario that often makes a coach a “lame duck” because an organization wouldn’t be losing any salary if they move on to a new boss.
“I’m sure if you asked (Barry) Trotz, he didn’t hate his year,” said Boucher, referring to the Stanley Cup-winning head coach. After winning the Cup in his final year behind the Washington Capitals bench, Trotz had countless options on whether to return or sign elsewhere. Ultimately, he signed a five-year, $20-million deal to coach the New York Islanders. No Luck For Luchuk: Centre Aaron Luchuk, who scored a combined 50 goals and 65 assists with Windsor and Barrie in the OHL last season, didn’t play in Friday’s scrimmage due to a hand injury suffered during training before development camp started. Luchuk had been on the ice in the opening days of the camp. Team White Earns Bragging Rights: Markus Nurmi scored twice and Angus Crookshank had a goal and two assists to lead Team White to a 6-3 win over Team Red in the spirited scrimmage in front of a packed house Friday. Todd Burgess, Eduards Tralmarks and Zach Jorgan also scored for the winners. Team Red received goals from Luka Burzan, Nico Sturm and Colin White.