ANAHEIM, Calif. — Bruce Boudreau never even got comfortable in his beloved recliner. Three days after the Washington Capitals fired him, the fast-talking coach was in another rink on the other side of the continent, back at work on another NHL salvage job.
Boudreau took charge of the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, running his first practice with new orange-and-black gear and the same contagious enthusiasm that endeared him to Washington fans. The coach known as “Gabby” is already talking big about the Ducks’ chances to save their dismal season.
“If I didn’t believe that this was a team that had the possibilities, the makings of something special, I think I would have sat home and waited,” Boudreau said after practice. “But I don’t think opportunities like this come around every day with the talent that we have here.”
Randy Carlyle coached the Ducks to the franchise’s only Stanley Cup title in 2007, but he struggled to get his talented club’s attention this fall after agreeing in August to a three-year contract extension. He compiled a 273-182-6 record after taking over for Mike Babcock as the seventh head coach in club history. The Ducks are off to a 7-13-4 start.
The Associated Press
