Boudreau needs to go

[smo5039]

No way should he keep his job. What a choker. Can't get his guys up for 3 straight games.

 

[Urkie]

I agree here. Boudreau's head is definitely on the chopping block now.

Wouldn't surprise me if he was let go and they brought in a more experienced coach.

 

[pixburgher66]

really? i'd be a little surprised i guess...but he's reached the back end of the tenure of an average NHL coach. heck, it's a miracle Lindy Ruff has lasted so long. I suppose it's certainly plausable to say that the Caps have gotten to this point on pure talent, and now they need some coaching and polishing up to get to the promised land. considering teddy's impatience for the cup, i suppose it could happen this off-season. i just dont want to see his temper-tantrums/incredibly un-professional complaining anymore. most coaches complain, but he does it for everything that doesn't go their way. he's not good at controlling his emotions...AT ALL.

 

[smo5039]

I could see a guy like Stevens getting that job. I think he would be a good fit. Someone who would be willing to stand up and coach, not just some bozo who lets his players play.

 

[miamiforlife81]

It would probably improve the Caps if he left. Maybe not win them the President's trophy but they could do damage in the PO's with the right guy.

 

[Darkstone42]

I didn't get to see the games, but is it true he didn't match lines strategically? That's just something I heard or read, but I don't remember where, nor can I attribute validity to the source. But if it is true, he needs to be let go.

 

[Destroydacre]

No way should he keep his job. What a choker. Can't get his guys up for 3 straight games.

I don't know. I agree Washington didn't play their best the last 3 games, but it's not like they rolled over. They outshot Montreal 134-66 over those 3 games. I know shots on goal aren't everything, but you have to be dictating play quite a bit over a game to get shot total discrepancies like that. Now I'm not saying Boudreau is for sure the right guy for Washington, he may not be. But he can only do so much. OV, Semin, Backstrom, Laich, Green, etc, those guys gotta put the puck in the net. I think Boudreau should get another year and then if they can't perform next year then it might be time to explore another option.

 

[Caps Revenge]

Fuck yeah! What a fucking choker! Only took over a team in complete disarray and turned them into contenders within a half of a season. Made the playoffs and lost in overtime in game seven to a team that lost to the Eastern Conference champs. Next year won division again and lost in epic seven game series to eventual Cup champs. Next year have record setting season and lose a 7 game series to a goalie who STANDS ON HIS FUCKING HEAD!!! You can talk about the Caps talent all you want. It's the same team that didn't start utilizing that talent until Boudreau arrived!

 

[Darkstone42]

Fuck yeah! What a fucking choker! Only took over a team in complete disarray and turned them into contenders within a half of a season. Made the playoffs and lost in overtime in game seven to a team that lost to the Eastern Conference champs. Next year won division again and lost in epic seven game series to eventual Cup champs. Next year have record setting season and lose a 7 game series to a goalie who STANDS ON HIS FUCKING HEAD!!! You can talk about the Caps talent all you want. It's the same team that didn't start utilizing that talent until Boudreau arrived!

Similar arguments could have been made for Michel Therrien in Pittsburgh, but at the end of the day, he didn't have what it took to keep the team with him and win the Cup. He got to one, sure, but the team that went was an incredibly talented team, and the next season the team underachieved until Bylsma's arrival.

Boudreau did a good job of utilizing the talent he inherited when he first joined the team, but when it comes down to it, I think he's a pretty mediocre coach, and a replacement should likely be forthcoming.

Besides, after losing to an eighth seed, regardless of a hot goalie's play, isn't the chance high that the team won't trust him going forward?

Just my two cents.

 

[elocomotive]

Fuck yeah! What a fucking choker! Only took over a team in complete disarray and turned them into contenders within a half of a season. Made the playoffs and lost in overtime in game seven to a team that lost to the Eastern Conference champs. Next year won division again and lost in epic seven game series to eventual Cup champs. Next year have record setting season and lose a 7 game series to a goalie who STANDS ON HIS FUCKING HEAD!!! You can talk about the Caps talent all you want. It's the same team that didn't start utilizing that talent until Boudreau arrived!

Co-signed. The Caps played great the last two games, Halak just played better and you can't coach around hot goalie.

If 3 years from now Boudreau still hasn't made the SCF, then we can talk. But the guy has earned some benefit of the doubt.

People seem to forget this team was GOD AWFUL 2.5 seasons ago. I mean DREADFUL.

 

[Caps Revenge]

That's my point too, eloco. There are plenty of coaches who wish they had Boudrea's record in the regular season and playoffs! I can't see firing a guy for contending since his arrival. Don't hear anyone calling for Trotz or Ruff to be fired. WTF?

 

[Darkstone42]

That's my point too, eloco. There are plenty of coaches who wish they had Boudrea's record in the regular season and playoffs! I can't see firing a guy for contending since his arrival. Don't hear anyone calling for Trotz or Ruff to be fired. WTF?

I am. I can't stand that guy.

 

[dash]

I think Boudreau is safe, the Caps lost their series due to a horrible PP (1 for 32 in the series). That's not going to beat anybody.

 

[elocomotive]

Besides, after losing to an eighth seed, regardless of a hot goalie's play, isn't the chance high that the team won't trust him going forward?

Just my two cents.

Knowing the type of guys on this team, I'm betting most of them are looking at themselves and probably feel like they disappointed him. Almost half the team was coached to greatness and/or a Calder Cup by Boudreau in Hershey, so they are very comfortable with one another. They've improved every year save this one series and frankly, the team played pretty great with

I don't think the Byslma analogy is too apt b/c the team made it to the SCF both years, and in my opinion, they were just a better team last year and Detroit was a better team the year before.

I just think it's too bad they drew the Canadiens (that was the one bottom team I feared drawing, and apparently with good reason, sigh), b/c I really think they would have beat the Flyers and Pens this year. All moot now. I think that makes the pill all the more bitter to swallow.

For all the critiques of the Caps, the D was pretty sound this series and the goalies were fan (not that Boudreau has much to do with them anyway). Boudreau has done a great job with the offense, and the biggest edge the Caps had on every team was scoring depth. That's on the PLAYERS. Semin had what - 40some shots, many of them on in the slot - and didn't pot one, that's on him. The only call I didn't like was moving Balenger up from the third line. He's gritty, but they don't score when he's on the ice. They just don't. That's the one thing I'd knock Boudreau for in this series. For all the matchup issues people said about OV, he and Backstrom had 5 goals and double digit points. They did their jobs.

 

[Darkstone42]

Knowing the type of guys on this team, I'm betting most of them are looking at themselves and probably feel like they disappointed him. Almost half the team was coached to greatness and/or a Calder Cup by Boudreau in Hershey, so they are very comfortable with one another. They've improved every year save this one series and frankly, the team played pretty great with

I don't think the Byslma analogy is too apt b/c the team made it to the SCF both years, and in my opinion, they were just a better team last year and Detroit was a better team the year before.

If the Penguins gave up on Therrien after going to the Stanley Cup Finals, it's entirely possible that the Capitals could give up on Boudreau. Now, I think Boudreau's a better coach than Therrien, and I know Halak was the main reason the Canadiens won that series, but Boudreau's job is still likely suspect.

Also, I really think the Penguins had a more talented team the year they lost to the Wings. I think they were better coached and more experienced when they won. For what it's worth.

 

[elocomotive]

Agree to disagree there.

Maybe BB should go (I don't believe he should), but I really don't think you'll see that happening with the way the organization is structured and run. Leonsis stuck with McPhee when he had a lot of reasons he could have walked away. It strikes me the Caps will stick with Boudreau since he's done SO much for them in just two and a half years. And so many of Boudreau's hunches and intuition have been right in the past (going with Varly last year, that was ballsy and dead on) that I don't think you can fault him for the team losing this series.

You can however fault the crap out of Mike Green. That guy's gonna get some nasty mail in the coming weeks.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

There are some interesting names floating around out there. I know he didn't do much for his reputation in Columbus, but Hitchcock might be a good fit in DC.

From what I've seen of Boudreau, he seems to make a lot of excuses for his guys. Then again, I'm not in the dressing room so I can't really make a firm evaluation of the guy.

 

[oldschoolhockeyfan]

No way should he keep his job. What a choker. Can't get his guys up for 3 straight games.

This is the type of post that belongs back in the swamp.

A team that wins the ice by a large margin in the last two games didn't choke, they just didn't win. Outplaying a team and not getting a victory happens often enough in hockey that even a casual fan should recognize it, but apparently thats not the case here.

 

[anderwho2513]

There are some interesting names floating around out there. I know he didn't do much for his reputation in Columbus, but Hitchcock might be a good fit in DC.

That was the first name I thought of when I saw the topic.

 

[elocomotive]

This is the type of post that belongs back in the swamp.

A team that wins the ice by a large margin in the last two games didn't choke, they just didn't win. Outplaying a team and not getting a victory happens often enough in hockey that even a casual fan should recognize it, but apparently thats not the case here.

^^ This guy knows what's up.

Oh and Shack, Boudreau criticizes his own players plenty. He's just a says what's on his mind kind of guy. I think too much is made of how a coach deals with the media and who they are as an actual COACH of the team. I don't know, personally, I like a guy who will tell a player he isn't playing well, but will defend his guys against the jackals of the 24/7 news cycle.