Bruce Boudreau will be the scapegoat for yet another (relatively) poor Anaheim Ducks playoff showing. While Boudreau certainly deserves his fair share of the blame for the Ducks failing to advance beyond the first round of the 2016 NHL playoffs, the fault does not lie solely with him.
And yet, Boudreau is out the door, while GM Bob Murray and the rest of the team that failed to overcome the Nashville Predators remain.
The Ducks fired Boudreau Friday morning, just two days after their heart-breaking Game 7 loss to the Preds, a series that the Ducks once led 3-2.
"I would like to thank Bruce for his hard work and dedication to the franchise," Murray said in a statement, adding that relieving Boudreau of his duties "was a very difficult decision to make. Bruce is a good coach and character person, and we wish him the best of luck in the future."
Boudreau, despite his atrocious 1-7 track record in playoff Game 7's and the horrid way the Ducks started 2015-16, will immediately become the most highly sought-after name in the NHL head coaching carousel. During his time in Anaheim, he amassed a 208-104-40 record and helmed the team to four Pacific Division titles.
The Ottawa Senators are likely to show interest in Boudreau, as are the Minnesota Wild.
However, it's the Ducks that seem to be in a strange position now that Bruce is out the door. Murray deserves some credit for sticking by Boudreau through the Ducks' early-season malaise, as well as their failed Cup bid the year prior, but his own fate could soon (finally?) come into question depending on the outcome of the coaching search.
Really, with all the talent in place, that the Ducks couldn't get past the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Kings in 2013-14 or the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Blackhawks in 2014-15 (are you sensing a theme here?) was, in a way, shocking. Had they won either of those series, it's entirely possible that we'd be talking about Anaheim as a former Cup-winner and Boudreau as a guy whose championship-worthy roster simply fell short this year.
Instead, Boudreau, who took over the Ducks in 2011-12 and had them into the playoffs by the next season, is gone.
Boudreau is an emotional guy, and it's entirely possible that what ultimately wore on the Capitals through parts of five seasons wore on the Ducks locker room, as well.
It will be interesting to see if Anaheim's Game 7 troubles depart with Boudreau - somehow, the Ducks haven't even held a lead in a Game 7 since 2006 - but it's clear that changes need to be made.
"We did everything the hard way," Boudreau admitted after the series.
Plenty of talent remains in place for Anaheim, even though Corey Perry failed to register a goal against the Predators and Ryan Getzlaf's contract is going to be a hindrance and soon, but if Murray doesn't find an answer, whether it be a new coach or a revitalized nucleus of players, he may follow Boudreau in a season or two.
