Boucher led the Senators to their most recent playoff appearance in 2017, bowing out in the Eastern Conference Final.
Former Ottawa Senators head coach Guy Boucher has gone over to the dark side.
That's how some Sens fans might describe any move to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, who hired Boucher Thursday as an assistant coach. Former NHL defenceman Mike Van Ryn has also been added to Sheldon Keefe's staff in Toronto.
Boucher has had two tours of duty as an NHL head coach and they both started off beautifully.
In his NHL rookie season with Tampa in 2010-11, the Lightning made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. But the team gradually got worse over the next two seasons, leading to Boucher's dismissal.
In his first season with Ottawa in 2016-17, the Senators made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. But the team gradually got worse over the next two seasons, leading to Boucher's dismissal.
Sounds like a bit of a trend.
Senators fans still cringe when they remembering some of Boucher's favourite strategies like "rest is a weapon" or dressing seven defencemen in games. But they also fondly remember the 2017 run when the Senators came within one goal of the Stanley Cup Final.
Chris Neil, who had his number retired by the Senators in February, remembers absolutely nothing fondly about Boucher's work in Ottawa that spring, even suggesting the players sometimes ignored Boucher and did things their own way during that run.
Since he left Ottawa, we've had a chance to speak with a number of former Senators about Boucher's time here and there's been a pretty consistent message. Boucher is smart and articulate, but also rigid. He insists on a highly conservative, off-the-charts commitment to five-man defensive structure.
In the short-term, that can yield big success. But over the long haul it's a grind and not easy to maintain.
This is an example of Boucher's smothering defensive zone coverage. In a game in 2011, the Flyers got so tired of Boucher's Lightning jamming up the neutral zone with their 1-3-1 setup, they refused to bring the puck out of their zone.
With Boucher assigned to Toronto's power play, input on defensive team tactics won't be his top priority.
For now, at least.
Meanwhile, head coach Sheldon Keefe says he's excited about the additions.
For now, at least.
"One of my goals every offseason is to put together the best staff possible to help give us the greatest opportunity for team success,” Keefe said in a team statement. “I'm thrilled to add experienced and accomplished coaches like Guy and Mike, as well as how the roles and responsibilities will now be shared amongst our coaching staff moving forward.”
Since Boucher was fired in Ottawa in 2019, he's been working as a TV analyst, which is what a lot of NHL head coaches have done while waiting for another head coaching job to open up. He's never been an NHL assistant before.
When Toronto hired Mike Babcock in 2015, after Brendan Shanahan's first big housecleaning, Boucher was seen as a strong head coaching candidate then.
Given that Keefe has a 13-17 playoff record in Toronto and his biggest backer and safety net, Kyle Dubas, is now the GM in Pittsburgh, it's more than fair to wonder if Guy Boucher quietly takes this job in Toronto with an eye on the bigger opportunity.
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