Bruce Boudreau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Boudreau
Boudreau with the Anaheim Ducks in 2012
Born	(1955-01-09) January 9, 1955 (age 70) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Minnesota Fighting Saints Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks
Coached for	Washington Capitals Anaheim Ducks Minnesota Wild Vancouver Canucks
NHL Draft	42nd overall, 1975 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	1975–1992
Coaching career	1992–present

Bruce Allan Boudreau (born January 9, 1955) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was a head coach for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). These teams included the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, and Vancouver Canucks.

As a player, Boudreau played professionally for 20 seasons. The Toronto Maple Leafs picked him in the third round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. He played 141 games in the NHL with the Maple Leafs and Chicago Black Hawks. He also played 30 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA). Boudreau spent most of his playing career in the American Hockey League (AHL). He was known for scoring many goals and points. He recorded 316 goals and 483 assists for 799 points in 634 games.

After his playing career, Boudreau became a coach. He won the Jack Adams Award in the 2007–08 NHL season. This award is given to the NHL's best head coach. Boudreau also owns two junior ice hockey teams. These teams are the Minnesota Blue Ox and Hershey Cubs. They play in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). As of 2021, Boudreau had one of the highest winning percentages for an NHL coach with at least 900 games.

Early Life and Junior Hockey

Bruce Boudreau was born in North York, Toronto, Ontario. When he was young, he played in the 1967 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He played for the Toronto George Bell minor ice hockey team. He also went to Nelson A. Boylen Collegiate Institute in the 1970s.

Playing for the Toronto Marlboros

Boudreau played junior hockey with the Toronto Marlboros. This team was part of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). He scored over 100 points each season. In his last junior season, he scored 165 points. He also added 44 points in 27 playoff games. He was the captain when the Marlies won the Memorial Cup championship. He also won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the top goal scorer in the 1974–75 OMJHL season.

Professional Playing Career

Boudreau played professional hockey for 17 seasons. While he played some games in the NHL, he spent most of his career in the minor leagues. He was one of the best scorers in minor league history, especially in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Starting in the WHA

After being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boudreau first joined the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the WHA. This was in 1975. He played one season there, scoring 3 goals and 6 assists in 30 games. He also spent half of that season in the minors. He played for the Johnstown Jets in the NAHL.

Time with the Maple Leafs and Minor League Teams

Boudreau signed with the Maple Leafs for the 1976–77 season. For the first nine years of his career, he mostly played for the Maple Leafs' farm teams. These included teams in the Central Professional Hockey League (CHL) and the AHL. Later, he signed with the NHL's Chicago Black Hawks. He played two seasons with their AHL farm team, the Springfield Indians. He won his only league scoring championship with them in the 1987–88 AHL season. He also played for teams in the IHL and the AHL.

Boudreau played parts of eight seasons in the NHL. Most of these were for the Maple Leafs. His most active NHL time was in 1980–81. He scored 10 goals and 14 assists in 39 games for the Maple Leafs. In total, he scored 28 goals and 42 assists in 141 NHL games. He continued to be a star scorer in the minor leagues until his last season in 1991–92.

Other Hockey Activities

When he started his professional career, Boudreau appeared in the 1977 hockey movie Slap Shot. His apartment at the time was used in the film.

Boudreau owns two junior ice hockey teams. These are the Minnesota Blue Ox and Hershey Cubs. They play in the United States Premier Hockey League. He has also worked as an analyst for the NHL Network when he is not coaching.

Personal Life

Bruce Boudreau is married to Crystal, and they have one son. He also has three other children from his first marriage. In 1982, Boudreau started the Golden Horseshoe Hockey School. This is a summer hockey camp for young players in St. Catharines, Ontario. He still coaches there during the off-season.

Boudreau has been a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs since he was a child. He still cheers for them when they are not playing against a team he is coaching. He is known for being talkative, which earned him the nickname "Gabby." In 2009, he wrote a book about his life called Gabby: Confessions of a Hockey Lifer. His son, Ben, became the Head Coach of the OHL's Niagara IceDogs in November 2023.

Playing Achievements

• Boudreau is one of the top all-time goal scorers in the AHL with 316 goals.
• He is also 13th in assists with 483 and 12th in points with 799 in the AHL.
• For all minor leagues, Boudreau is 8th all-time with 1,368 points.
• He is also 13th in both goals (548) and assists (820) in minor league history.
• He scored 100 points or more for five different minor league teams.
• He was named to the Central Hockey League's First All-Star Team in 1982.
• He was named to the American Hockey League's First All-Star Team in 1988.
• He was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009.

Team Records and Awards

• Team records – Springfield Indians
  • Assists in a season: 74, 1987–88
  • Points in a season: 116, 1987–88
• Awards
  • Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy – 1974–75 OMJHL season, Toronto Marlboros
  • John B. Sollenberger Trophy – 1987–88 AHL season, Springfield Indians
  • Memorial Cup and J. Ross Robertson Cup with the 1974–75 Toronto Marlboros

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Boudreau became a very successful coach.

Coaching in the Minor Leagues

In the minor leagues, Boudreau coached several teams. These included the Muskegon Fury, Fort Wayne Komets, Mississippi Sea Wolves, Lowell Lock Monsters, Manchester Monarchs, and Hershey Bears.

Under Boudreau's coaching, the Hershey Bears won the 2006 AHL Calder Cup championship. The Bears also reached the Calder Cup finals again in 2007. Before that, Boudreau led the Mississippi Sea Wolves to the ECHL Championship in 1999. He also led the Fort Wayne Komets to the IHL Finals in 1994. Boudreau won the Commissioner's Trophy (IHL) as coach of the 1993–94 Komets.

Coaching the Washington Capitals (2007–2011)

Boudreau coaching the Washington Capitals

Boudreau became the interim head coach of the Washington Capitals on November 22, 2007. He later became their permanent coach on December 26. He had a great start, leading a team that was struggling to a 37–17–7 record. Under his leadership, the Capitals won their first Southeast Division title in seven years. They also made the playoffs for the first time in five years. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's best coach in 2008.

In his second season, Boudreau led the Capitals to a 50–24–8 record and 108 points. This was good enough for another Southeast Division title. In his third season, the Capitals had an even better record of 54–15–13 and 121 points. This was the most points in the NHL, earning them their first Presidents' Trophy. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs.

The Capitals started the 2011–12 season well, but then struggled in November. Boudreau was fired on November 28, 2011. He had reached 200 regular season wins faster than any coach in the modern NHL era.

Coaching the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild (2011–2020)

Just two days after being fired by the Capitals, the Anaheim Ducks hired Boudreau as their new head coach. He became the fastest coach to be hired after being fired in NHL history.

On April 29, 2016, the Ducks fired Boudreau. This happened after they lost a Game 7 at home for the fourth year in a row. He had led the Ducks to four straight division titles in his four full seasons there.

On May 7, 2016, the Minnesota Wild hired Boudreau as their new head coach. He led the Wild to a strong regular season, finishing 2nd in their division. However, the team struggled in the playoffs and lost in the first round. Boudreau was fired by the Wild on February 14, 2020.

Coaching the Vancouver Canucks (2021–2023)

On December 5, 2021, Boudreau became the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. The team had been struggling, and their previous coach and general manager were fired. Boudreau had an immediate positive impact on the team's performance. Fans at home games would often sing "Bruce, there it is!" to support him. On January 23, 2022, Boudreau coached his 1,000th career NHL game. Even with the improved performance, the Canucks did not make the playoffs in his first season.

After the season, the Canucks' new president of hockey operations, Jim Rutherford, did not immediately extend Boudreau's contract. As the 2022–23 season began, the Canucks started with a record seven-game losing streak. Rutherford became publicly critical of the team's performance. By January 2023, rumors spread that Boudreau would be replaced. The situation became a big news story. Fans showed their support for Boudreau with chants. On January 22, the Canucks announced that Boudreau had been fired. The way his dismissal was handled drew criticism from many.

Head Coaching Record