Confirmed with Link: Boucher: to return or not to return, that is the question

[BatherSeason]

So when the team gets to within one goal of the final that's Karlsson and his teammates....but when the team is mired in poor defensive play and up and down streaks of winning or loosing that's on Boucher...or to simplify it your saying if the team plays well that's the players, and if the team plays poorly, that's the coach....got it. Thanks for coming out.

Thank you for coming out! Erik Karlsson and his teammates masked a lot of deficiencies with this coaching staff. I can't believe that there are still people here and anywhere defending Boucher. The team looks terrible for large stretches of hockey games and the defensive coverage is a joke and we haven't even discussed how he deploys his players too.

 

[swiftwin]

Boucher is one of the best coaches in the league. It would be a shame if we lost him.

 

[Crosside]

Boucher is one of the best coaches in the league. It would be a shame if we lost him.

Agreed but he have to fire Crawford and Raymond

 

[RAFI BOMB]

Boucher is one of the best coaches in the league. It would be a shame if we lost him.

What the f*** are you talking about? Boucher is a bad coach. He is a knowledgeable hockey mind but he is very flawed as a coach and very dogmatic in his approach. He will likely go back to Europe after this season. He really hasn't grown much since his time in Tampa Bay and he is showing the same flaws now that he did back then.
Boucher joined Tampa in 2010 and this was his record for his 2 and a half season he was there;

• 2010-2011: 46W, 25L, 62.8% win percentage, lost in round 3 of the playoffs
• 2011-2012: 38W, 36L, 51.2% win percentage, missed the playoffs
• 2012-2013: 13W, 17L, 43.5% win percentage, fired after 31 games

Here is Boucher's record since joining Ottawa:

• 2016-2017: 44W, 28L, 59.8% win percentage, lost in round 3 of the playoffs
• 2017-2018: 28W, 43L, 40.9% win percentage, missed the playoffs
• 2018-2019: 12W, 13L, 48.2% win percentage

He is a bad coach and he should have been fired multiple times last season and multiple times this season. He has a lot of growing as a coach to do and he isn't going to make the necessary changes any time soon. Firing him wold be a step in the right direction.

 

[Crosside]

What the **** are you talking about? Boucher is a bad coach. He is a knowledgeable hockey mind but he is very flawed as a coach and very dogmatic in his approach. He will likely go back to Europe after this season. He really hasn't grown much since his time in Tampa Bay and he is showing the same flaws now that he did back then.
Boucher joined Tampa in 2010 and this was his record for his 2 and a half season he was there;

• 2010-2011: 46W, 25L, 62.8% win percentage, lost in round 3 of the playoffs
• 2011-2012: 38W, 36L, 51.2% win percentage, missed the playoffs
• 2012-2013: 13W, 17L, 43.5% win percentage, fired after 31 games

Here is Boucher's record since joining Ottawa:

• 2016-2017: 44W, 28L, 59.8% win percentage, lost in round 3 of the playoffs
• 2017-2018: 28W, 43L, 40.9% win percentage, missed the playoffs
• 2018-2019: 12W, 13L, 48.2% win percentage

He is a bad coach and he should have been fired multiple times last season and multiple times this season. He has a lot of growing as a coach to do and he isn't going to make the necessary changes any time soon. Firing him wold be a step in the right direction.

For is defence he never have a good number one goalie in the nhl

 

[RAFI BOMB]

we had 3 straight decent games overall before last night....

although not sure that erases the last like season and a bit of utter garbage

Didn't we have straight losses where we looked terrible before those three wins? Given the fact that Boucher should have been fired many times last season he should be on a short rope this year. So far he has shown that him and his staff are still very flawed and very dogmatic and make very poor coaching decisions. They have done enough bad things this season to reinforce and support that argument that they should be fired, which originated last season. Boucher always has a laundry list of excuses and rationalizations for the poor performance this season. The fact that the roster is weaker makes a lot of fans and media overlook the flaws in coaching and give Boucher and his staff further excuses for their flaws and poor performance as coaches.

The coaching staff's contracts are all up at the end of the year. So far they aren't really doing anything to make a compelling argument that they should receive contract extensions. So what is the point of keeping them around? Other then the fact that our owner is cheap as f*** and wouldn't likely support a decision to fire our coaching staff and hire more competent ones. What are the reasons for keeping them that are not financially related?

 

[stempniaksen]

Boucher is one of the best coaches in the league. It would be a shame if we lost him.

Thanks for the input Ms. Boucher.

On a serious note though, as flawed as Boucher is he may very well be a better fit for this franchise than whatever other option we can grab off the trash heap. He's definitely in the lower half of the NHL as far as coaches are concerned (imo) but he also may very well be the best coach we've had since Bryan Murray (he's definitely better than Cameron, Clouston, Paddock). If the plan is to cheap out on a coaching hire again (I think we all have to assume this is the case given the Sens track record the last decade + EM factor) I'm not convinced there's a better option out there.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Didn't we have straight losses where we looked terrible before those three wins? Given the fact that Boucher should have been fired many times last season he should be on a short rope this year. So far he has shown that him and his staff are still very flawed and very dogmatic and make very poor coaching decisions. They have done enough bad things this season to reinforce and support that argument that they should be fired, which originated last season. Boucher always has a laundry list of excuses and rationalizations for the poor performance this season. The fact that the roster is weaker makes a lot of fans and media overlook the flaws in coaching and give Boucher and his staff further excuses for their flaws and poor performance as coaches.

The coaching staff's contracts are all up at the end of the year. So far they aren't really doing anything to make a compelling argument that they should receive contract extensions. So what is the point of keeping them around? Other then the fact that our owner is cheap as **** and wouldn't likely support a decision to fire our coaching staff and hire more competent ones. What are the reasons for keeping them that are not financially related?

The context is missing for this season. It's are-building season with at least one rookie on every line and in each defense pairing. PM kept him and his staff on, on the condition that he play the rookies and develop them. The mandate is not to win the Cup this season.

At the end of the season, the GM will determine whether of not anyone on the coaching staff deserves to come back, and I suspect that at least Boucher will be back next season, as long as the rookie progress and the team finishes with a reasonably better record than last years.

PD will also want to keep his "fire the coach" card in his pocket for future use as insurance against his own job, as most GMs tend to do.

 

[swiftwin]

The context is missing for this season. It's are-building season with at least one rookie on every line and in each defense pairing. PM kept him and his staff on, on the condition that he play the rookies and develop them. The mandate is not to win the Cup this season.

At the end of the season, the GM will determine whether of not anyone on the coaching staff deserves to come back, and I suspect that at least Boucher will be back next season, as long as the rookie progress and the team finishes with a reasonably better record than last years.

PD will also want to keep his "fire the coach" card in his pocket for future use as insurance against his own job, as most GMs tend to do.

Exactly. People seem to be forgetting that we're rebuilding.

Is he playing the kids? Yes.
Are the kids constantly progressing? Yes.
Are we improving as a team as the season progresses? Yes.
Are we exceeding expectations? Yes.

What else are people expecting?

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Exactly. People seem to be forgetting that we're rebuilding.

Is he playing the kids? Yes.
Are the kids constantly progressing? Yes.
Are we improving as a team as the season progresses? Yes.
Are we exceeding expectations? Yes.

What else are people expecting?

I'm personally still waiting on him to tell us how the scar on his face happened!!!

 

[BritishSen]

I don't really know why you'd want to get rid of him, only if we had a regime change I guess. I've been impressed with how we've been this season as I expected to just get thumped every game, he's integrated youth quite well and we're playing some good stuff atm. I'm not sure what more you can ask from him really, are we going to make play-offs? of course not, but we wouldn't with any other coach. The idea getting rid of Boucher would have a positive effect on us is laughable really, do you really think the clowns running the shop would replace him with a coach that would be better? if your answer is yes, then you need to seriously re-evaluate the faith you have in our higher ups.

 

[BritishSen]

double post dodgy internet

 

[God Says No]

Exactly. People seem to be forgetting that we're rebuilding.

Is he playing the kids? Yes, but don't think he had a choice.
Are the kids constantly progressing? Kind of.
Are we improving as a team as the season progresses? Not really.
Are we exceeding expectations? Not really.

What else are people expecting?

FTFY

 

[Cosmix]

Exactly. People seem to be forgetting that we're rebuilding.

Is he playing the kids? Yes.
Are the kids constantly progressing? Yes.
Are we improving as a team as the season progresses? Yes.
Are we exceeding expectations? Yes.

What else are people expecting?

Better special teams?

Better play in the D zone?

Fewer shots against?

 

[Liver King]

Boucher is simply a bad coach

zero chance you resign him so just pull the trigger

anybody with eyes can see massive coaching errors - just because were supposed to be rebuilding doesn't mean his faults are inexcusable. Any coach can play young players when thats all you have lmfao crippling areas of weakness under this coach every season

we have seen enough games to know he should be let go, easy choice.

 

[Liver King]

Boucher is one of the best coaches in the league. It would be a shame if we lost him.

not at all - it would be a blessing

 

[swiftwin]

Better special teams?

Better play in the D zone?

Fewer shots against?

Yes on all three.

Have you been in a coma the last 2 weeks?

 

[Liver King]

Yes on all three.

Have you been in a coma the last 2 weeks?

I think you have been the past two years

plays two good games - Thinks hes one of the greatest coaches

 

[swiftwin]

Nobody wants to mention it, but Boucher is another UFA that we need to retain. Will he ask for more money? Will he want to work for Melnyk??

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I don't really know why you'd want to get rid of him, only if we had a regime change I guess. I've been impressed with how we've been this season as I expected to just get thumped every game, he's integrated youth quite well and we're playing some good stuff atm. I'm not sure what more you can ask from him really, are we going to make play-offs? of course not, but we wouldn't with any other coach. The idea getting rid of Boucher would have a positive effect on us is laughable really, do you really think the clowns running the shop would replace him with a coach that would be better? if your answer is yes, then you need to seriously re-evaluate the faith you have in our higher ups.

We are poss poor on the road. What adjustments have you seen him make to account for this?

 

[Liver King]

Nobody wants to mention it, but Boucher is another UFA that we need to retain. Will he ask for more money? Will he want to work for Melnyk??

nobody mentions it because you are the only person thinking Boucher should be our coach

everybody mentions firing him/letting him walk because that is the logical decision

bye bye Boucher can't wait for your ass to be gone!

 

[Satoru Gojo]

As I've posted before in this thread I don't think any coach can fix this defence or goaltending.....I'd be happy to be wrong but....

Boucher's not great but he's still better then the last bunch of coaches that have come though here (Cameron, Hartsburg, Clouston etc..), add that to the fact that as long as this team is owned by Melnyk they will not be paying for a Mclellan or a Quenneville to coach in Ottawa, so if a coaching change were to be made it would just be another cheap coach with likely zero experience.

Boucher seems to be doing what the front office asked of him at the end of last season, playing the kids and playing a more uptempo game. So yeah, I think he'll be sticking around for a while assuming Dorion and Euge stay in charge

 

[Cloud]

Boucher is simply a bad coach

zero chance you resign him so just pull the trigger

anybody with eyes can see massive coaching errors - just because were supposed to be rebuilding doesn't mean his faults are inexcusable. Any coach can play young players when thats all you have lmfao crippling areas of weakness under this coach every season

we have seen enough games to know he should be let go, easy choice.

Scanning through the posts for the "Boucher out" posters there is a common thread...you all want him gone, and insist he's doing a horrible job...but not one person has actually taken the time to break it down in terms of what it is that he's actually doing wrong.
Just what are these "Massive coaching errors" that you speak of? I've been watching hockey for over 40 years and I can say with certainty that the majority of the mistakes this team makes are on the players for doing stupid things...pretty sure the coach isn't telling them to make those plays.
I'm not saying Boucher is perfect or without his faults...but with what he's been given to work with I really don't think any other coach out there would be doing much better....and in fact, with this team currently sitting at pretty much .500 hockey...to me, that's basically nothing short of a miracle considering the team they iced this year...and Boucher deserves credit for that.

 

[BritishSen]

We are poss poor on the road. What adjustments have you seen him make to account for this?

Not many tbf, I'm not saying he's faultless but I think this season his positives have outweighed the negatives. End of the day, he was given a bad hand going into this season and has managed to do a lot better than I thought he would, personally. Do you honestly think we can do better than him in our current predicament anyway?

 

[JD1]

they were talking about Boucher this week on 1200

Simmer: based on what he's been asked to do and the roster he's had, he's exceeded expectations. as of right now of course you bring him back

I think a few guys here pointing out a guy like Q isn't coming here so who's better are on the right path.

3 seasons. With different rosters and different styles exceeded expectations in 2 of 3 years.