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The New Guy: Reports Tab Boucher as Lightning Bench Boss |
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According to Montreal online news source, Rue Frontenac, radio station CKAC and, later, TSN’s Bob McKenzie, general manager Steve Yzerman and the Tampa Bay Lightning are set to announce Guy Boucher of the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs as the eighth head coach in franchise history.
There has been no official confirmation from the Lightning as of yet but word is a formal announcement will be forthcoming.
Boucher, 38, would become the youngest coach in the NHL, after a rocket-shot ascension up the coaching ranks in recent years. Following assistant gigs in Rouyn-Noranda and Rimouski of the QMJHL and head coaching experience at the minor hockey level, Boucher was at the helm of the Drummondville bench for three seasons and, in 2008-09, led the Voltigeurs to a 54-10-4 regular season record and the Quebec League’s President’s Cup championship. This season, he moved on to Hamilton, capturing AHL Coach of the Year honors following a 52-17-11 mark with the Bulldogs before falling to the Texas Stars in the seventh game of this season’s Calder Cup Western Conference Final.
It has also been reported that Boucher’s Hamilton assistants Daniel Lacroix and Martin Raymond will join his staff in Tampa. Lacroix has prior experience as an NHL assistant, having served in that role with the New York Islanders from 2006-09.
In Yzerman, Lightning owner Jeff Vinik nabbed a huge name as general manager two weeks ago and it now appears that, in Boucher, Yzerman has followed suit with the hottest commodity on the head coaching market.
Both men have much to prove in their new positions at the NHL level but, if there’s anything to be said for landing the most sought-after names as both GM and head coach, the Lightning’s summer makeover couldn’t be off to a better start.
JJ
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