After boosting the NHL’s worst record for better part of the season, Ottawa Senators decided it was time for a change and parted ways with their head coach Guy Boucher. The team announced the news on Friday and named assistant coach Marc Crawford as interim coach.
Boucher’s firing comes after Senators suffered a 4-2 defeat against Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, which extended their losing streak to six games. The team now sits firmly at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with 22-37-5 record.
Senators didn’t make it easy for Guy Boucher to keep his job, as they decided to head down the path of rebuilding and traded away several key players. Also the front office already wasn’t keen on giving Boucher a new contract as his current deal was set to expire at the end of the season.
“I want to thank Guy for his three years of service,” – said general manager Pierre Dorion in a statement. “He is a good person and has been an excellent representative of the Senators. At this point, however, we need a different set of coaching and leadership skills to guide our team through this rebuild. In the interim, Marc will bring a different perspective along with a wealth of head-coaching experience.”
Guy Boucher joined Ottawa Senators at the beginning of 2016–17 NHL season, and made an immediate impact, leading the team to 2nd place in Atlantic Division and reaching the Conference Finals. He failed to replicate this success last season, however, as the Senators finished 7th in the standings and missed the postseason. Boucher will leave Ottawa with a 94-108-26 record.
