The struggling Vancouver Canucks have dismissed head coach Travis Green and replaced him with Bruce Boudreau.
The team confirmed the news in a statement late Sunday night, saying assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner, general manager Jim Benning and assistant manager Jim Weisbrod have also been relieved of their duties.
Scott Walker was named assistant coach.
The changes come after the Pittsburgh Penguins routed the Canucks 4-1 in Vancouver on Saturday night, drawing boos from the home crowd. The Canucks currently sit last in the Pacific Division with a 8-15-2 record.
Several of VancouverB次元官网网址檚 stars have struggled offensively and the clubB次元官网网址檚 special teams have floundered. The team has the worst penalty kill in the league (64.6 per cent) and has capitalized on 17.4 per cent of its power-play chances.
B次元官网网址淚 am excited to add Bruce Boudreau as our new head coach, and Scott as assistant,B次元官网网址� Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini said in a statement. B次元官网网址淏ruce is one of the most experienced coaches in the NHL, with nearly 1,000 games behind the bench and a successful track record working with some of the gameB次元官网网址檚 best talent. Scott is a young coach with an excellent reputation who will fit in very well with our group.B次元官网网址�
Boudreau, 66, previously coached the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild. He has a career coaching record of 567-302-115 and won the Jack Adams Award as the NHLB次元官网网址檚 top coach in 2007-08 when he was with the Capitals.
The 49-year-old Walker spent four seasons playing right wing for the Canucks from 1994-98. He previously coached the Ontario Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Guelph Storm and worked as the StormB次元官网网址檚 president of hockey operations.
Green, 50, was in his fifth season behind the bench. He led Vancouver to the playoffs once during his tenure.
Francesco Aquilini, Chairman and Governor NHL, Vancouver Canucks, announced today significant changes to the teamB次元官网网址檚 front office and coaching staff, and confirmed a search for new Hockey Operations leadership is underway.
B次元官网网址� Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks)
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Green admitted that his teamB次元官网网址檚 dismal start was B次元官网网址渢rying,B次元官网网址� and said it can be frustrating to not get results when you feel like youB次元官网网址檙e playing well in certain parts of your game.
B次元官网网址淵ou bang your head against the wall, you get up the next day and try to pick your team up a little bit. Also be stern with them in areas where you need to be stern and fix,B次元官网网址� he said on Nov. 18. B次元官网网址淔rom a coaching standpoint, you have to make sure you keep your emotions in check and get the right message across to your group.B次元官网网址�
Green signed a two-year extension in May after Vancouver finished the 2020-21 campaign last in the seven-team all-Canadian North Division with a 23-29-4 record.
The 2020-21 season was a difficult one for Green and the Canucks both on and off the ice. Vancouver won just two games in February and suffered the NHLB次元官网网址檚 worst COVID-19 outbreak at the end of March.
Twenty-one players and four coaches B次元官网网址� including Green B次元官网网址� tested positive for the virus and the CanucksB次元官网网址� games were put on hold for more than two weeks.
The native of Castlegar, B.C., said it had been a difficult year but the experience had come with valuable lessons.
B次元官网网址淚 know over the years in Vancouver, IB次元官网网址檝e improved every year and become a better coach every season. And this yearB次元官网网址檚 no different,B次元官网网址� he said before the Canucks played the Winnipeg Jets on May 12.
B次元官网网址淲hen you go through challenges and through adversity, sometimes you grow even more from those situations than when youB次元官网网址檙e having success.B次元官网网址�
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Green was hired in April 2017 to replace Willie Desjardins who was fired when the team missed the playoffs two years in a row.
Under his leadership, Vancouver saw slow, steady progress, making the play-in after posting a 36-27-6 record in the 2020 regular season.
The Canucks excelled in the Edmonton playoff bubble, ousting the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues before being eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in a gritty seven-game series.
Expectations for this season were high, with Benning saying the Canucks didnB次元官网网址檛 want to take a step backward.
A former NHL centre himself, Green said he knew continuing to progress wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be easy.
He played 14 seasons with the New York Islanders, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. He amassed 355 points (193 goals, 262 assists) in 970 NHL games.
B次元官网网址淲inning doesnB次元官网网址檛 just happen,B次元官网网址� Green said in January 2021. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got to push, youB次元官网网址檝e got to be prepared, youB次元官网网址檝e got to sacrifice, youB次元官网网址檝e got to create a culture thatB次元官网网址檚 about winning. And I think (the Canucks are) on the right path to that. And weB次元官网网址檙e going to continue to push our team in that direction.B次元官网网址�
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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