Bob Boughner had just gotten off the ice following the Windsor Spitfires’ practice the other day, and he was only a short drive through a tunnel – and across the U.S.-Canadian border – from Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena.
“I’m having a ball,” the former Avalanche defenseman said, “and I’ve never been busier in my life, to tell you the truth.”
Down the stretch of the Avalanche’s 2005-06 season and during the playoff run, Boughner passed out Spitfires hats to his teammates, both as a friendly gesture and perhaps to get the logo some television time. He and former Avalanche winger Warren Rychel had purchased the major-junior franchise in their Ontario hometown in early April, and Boughner was already looking ahead.
Nearly six months later, Boughner is immersed in his post-retirement role as the Spitfires’ co-owner, president and head coach.
“To be able to retire and jump right into something else has been interesting, and I own a hockey team on top of that,” Boughner said. “The best part is to be able to see my family, because this is where we lived. It’s not that I don’t miss the guys, because I do. But now I have a new group and a new family.”
His partner, Rychel, is the vice president and general manager. Together, they oversee an operation that drafts and recruits teenage players, sometimes convincing parents to allow their sons to come to Windsor, live with families there and attend school as they play pro-length seasons.
“You’re dealing with young men, high school issues, buses and everything else,” Boughner said with a laugh. “It’s a responsibility, it really is. We’ve brought families in for barbecues and orientation, and gone over anything and everything at this level.”
The Spitfires opened their Ontario Hockey League season Friday at home with a 5-2 loss to Erie and are hoping to dispel fears that with a young team – even by major-junior standards – Windsor is facing an uphill climb to make the playoffs.
Boughner has time to pay only passing attention to the NHL he left behind, including the team across the river (the Red Wings) and the team he played for last season (the Avalanche). As they come down the stretch of exhibition play, the Wings and Avs meet for the second time in five days tonight at the Pepsi Center.
Boughner, 35, spent much of last season watching in street clothes as a healthy scratch. He played in 41 games, mostly as a fourth-line right wing and not on defense, and didn’t suit up at all in the postseason. As an NHL Players’ Association vice president, he was less than a year removed from serving as one of the union’s leaders and spokesmen during the lockout and dark season.
“I still had a ton of fun last season because they were good guys to be around, even though I wasn’t able to be a full-time guy,” he said. “But it was almost a blessing in disguise to play some right wing, because it gave me a full appreciation of all the positions in the game.”
Terry Frei can be reached at 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com.
