Vancouver Hockey Insider caught up with Bruce Boudreau on Friday morning, just five days after he was removed as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, ‘Gabby’ is still being paid by the club through the end of his contract this coming summer, so certain subject matter was off limits essentially for legal and fulfillment purposes.
In good spirits, Boudreau seems open to whatever ideas or gigs might come his way down the road, including opportunities to coach again, although that’s not a topic of conversation at the moment nor a real possibility in the immediate future.
His presence is still being felt. While new Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet was watching his team lose 6-1 in Seattle against the Kraken on Wednesday night, the crowd starting belting out a “Bruce, there it is” chant late in the 3rd period. The chorus was made popular last season at Rogers Arena following Canucks goals, all while Boudreau was finding success in his first season coaching the club.
A number of Vancouver fans headed south for the game two nights ago and while the chant simply may have been a gesture of support for the popular coach who had been ousted, there seemed to be a sarcastic twist to it as their Canucks were getting whipped. The sounds echoed from both ends of the Climate Pledge Arena.
Canucks Memories
Boudreau coached his first game for the Canucks on December 6th, 2021, a 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings. His tenure ended with a 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers this past Saturday night. Both games were at Rogers Arena.
His record with the Canucks finished at 50-40-and-13. His winning percentage would have been even stronger, but the club lost eight of the last ten games he coached as he twisted in the wind as a lame duck. His treatment by club management has been criticized by fans, the media, and many in the hockey industry.
For his career, Gabby has an NHL regular season head coaching record of 617-342-and-128.
