Bruce Boudreau’s time behind the Vancouver Canucks bench has finally come to an end.
The team had been signaling a coaching change for weeks, and the axe fell on Sunday. The Canucks announced Boudreau and assistant head coach Trent Cull were terminated and replaced by Rick Tocchet.
The #Canucks have made it official. Rick Tocchet replaces Bruce Boudreau. Trent Cull also let go. Press conference at 1pm. @Sportsnet650 pic.twitter.com/r5wAZiwPce
— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) January 22, 2023
Boudreau set an incredibly high standard in his first season with the Canucks. Vancouver hired Boudreau in December 2021, and he led the team to an impressive 32-15-10 record. The Canucks finished five points out of the playoffs, despite ranking among the worst teams in the league before Boudreau arrived.
However, Boudreau couldn’t replicate that success this year, and the Canucks are once again at the rear of the pack.
Tocchet has spent parts of six seasons as a head coach, finishing above .500 just twice. Most recently, he spent four years with the Arizona Coyotes, compiling a .490 points percentage.
The Canucks face long odds on the Stanley Cup futures board at FanDuel Sportsbook, currently priced as +15000 long shots.
