TAMPA, Fla. — In his first major move since becoming general manager of the Lightning, Steve Yzerman stepped outside the NHL to hire Guy Boucher as the team’s new coach Thursday.
Boucher has only one year of professional coaching experience, but Yzerman was not deterred from making him the league’s youngest coach, saying the 38-year-old has adapted to the players, personalities and level of play he’s encountered at every stage of his career.
“He’s ready to coach in the NHL. There’s no question in my mind about that,” Yzerman said.
The former coach of the American Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs replaces Rick Tocchet, who was fired April 12 after a 34-36-12 finish left the Lightning out of the playoffs for the third straight time.
Boucher led Hamilton — Montreal’s top minor-league affiliate — to the second-best record in the AHL.
