Senators hand reins to Boucher
OTTAWA — Pierre Dorion said he knew he had found the next Ottawa Senators’ head coach after his first meeting with Guy Boucher.
The new Senators GM said Boucher was the first candidate he interviewed for the position and was his front-runner from the start, countering reports that the Senators were snubbed by new Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau.
“I want to make it clear to everyone that this was my candidate,” Dorion said Monday at a news conference to introduce Boucher. “No doubt in my mind, from the first time that I met him I felt this would be the guy to lead the Ottawa Senators.”
Boucher becomes the Senators’ 12th head coach, replacing Dave Cameron, who was fired April 12.
The Senators also announced that Marc Crawford would join Boucher’s coaching staff as an associate coach.
Boucher’s coaching resumé includes just over two seasons as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, posting a 97-78-20 record in 195 games. Boucher led the Lightning to the Eastern Conference final in 2010-11.
Most recently, the 44-year-old spent parts of the last three seasons as head coach of SC Bern of the National League A in Switzer- land, posting a 44-29-5 record.
“Guy brings passion, drive, great communication skills, knowledge of the game, intelligence, he’s progressive, he’s innovative,” said Dorion. “What impressed me the most was his ability to translate in the interview process, and I think this ability to translate to the players, how we need to play to have success.”
Boucher, a native of Notre-Dame-Du-Lac, Que., is excited for the opportunity to not only return to the NHL, but to Canada and to be close to family.
He said he watched a number of Senators’ games in the second half of the season and sees a lot of reason for optimism.
“I think we can accelerate the process because I think there’s already great things and strong things in place in the team, so I won’t pretend to come in and be the saviour and I’ll do everything different,” he said. “I have to respect the fact that a lot of good things have been done here, great players have been brought up and players that have had success in the last years so we just want to keep those guys having success and help the ones who are ready to grow.
“I think it’s a very encouraging year because when you look at the ages, when you look at the leadership I think this team is right there ready to take another step.”