Bruce Boudreau is excited to return as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks after helping turn the NHL wrestling club into a replacement in the middle of the season.
Speaking on a Friday afternoon after finishing a rough round of golf, the 67-year-old Boudreau said, “We have unfinished business in Vancouver and I want to get the job done.”
Boudreau took over from the bench on Dec. 5 after the Canucks cleaned the house after a disastrous start to the 8-15-2 season, which led to the dismissal of head coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning.
Hiring Boudreau had an immediate effect, as he became only the third coach in NHL history to win his first seven games with a new team.
Canucks lasted 32-15-10 until the end of the season and moved from last place in the Pacific Division to finish five points from a place in the playoffs.
Budro is coaching his 1000th regular season game on January 23rd and has one win less than 600 wins.
“Our season is just running out,” said Boudreau, who admitted to having a sleepless night on Thursday after making a “family decision” to fulfill his two-year contract with Canucks.
“I was really nervous and I didn’t like to make Canucks wait for my decision. I believed we were a team for the playoffs in the last 56 games of the season and I’m really excited to see what we can do next season with this group. “
The coach could not comment on the state of his staff, saying that “everyone and everything is still under review” and that he has been “off the line” for the past two weeks. He added that he wants Canucks to be “the best team in the league” next season.
“We are pleased to see Bruce’s commitment to return to Canucks next season,” Canucks general manager Patrick Olvin said in a statement. “He has done a great job since arriving in Vancouver and we are looking forward to seeing the team continue to perform under his leadership, as they did in the second half of the season.”
Boudreau has a career-high coaching record of 599-317-125 in 1,024 regular-season games with Canucks, Minnesota Wilde and Anaheim Ducks.
The Toronto-born Jack Adams Award winner of the 2008 NHL Coach of the Year.
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