The Anaheim Ducks have re-signed head coach Bruce Boudreau to a 2-year contract extension. The Ducks had a horrible start of the season last year under Randy Carlyle until he was fired on Nov. 30th. Boudreau was brought in just 2 days after he was fired as the head coach of the Washington Capitals.
It took another bad month of December before the message of Boudreau caught on, but once January came around the Ducks started playing much better, and for a little bit anyways were a threat to make the playoffs. Overall the Ducks went 27-23-8 under Boudreau, and that includes the bad December. If the Ducks can play the way they showed from January on under Boudreau there is no reason to think that the Ducks can be playoff contenders once again as early as next season.
Boudreau is known as a players coach, which is a big departure from Carlyle who was known to be more of a disciplinarian, and the players seemed to respond well to the coaching change once they got used to the new offensive, and defensive systems that Boudreau brought to the team.
The extension of Boudreau came just one day after the re-signing of second line center Saku Koivu. Both are good signs that the Ducks are committed to bringing a strong team next season which us as Ducks fans are used to seeing. The Ducks have a very strong core, but hopefully the moves are the first of many as the Ducks could improve with some added secondary scoring preferably a new 2nd line left wing to play along side Saku Koivu, and Teemu Selanne.
Original Story:
http://www.rantsports.com/anaheim-duc...
|
May 10, 2012
