The Ottawa Senators have named Guy Boucher the 12th head coach in team history, the team announced Sunday.
The three-year deal for Boucher was announced by new general manager Pierre Dorion.
“Over the past three weeks, Pierre Dorion and our hockey operations staff have undertaken a thorough and comprehensive search for our next head coach. Following a detailed evaluation of all coaching candidates, there was overwhelming consensus that Guy was our top candidate,” said Senators owner Eugene Melnyk in a statement. “We wanted a great coach and this process yielded our top pick. I couldn’t be happier. On behalf of the entire Senators organization, the great city of Ottawa and our fans, I want to welcome Guy, his wife Marsha and their three children, Vincent, Mila and Naomi.”
News Release: Guy Boucher named Ottawa Senators head coach: https://t.co/UBwwAxmaRR #Sens
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) May 8, 2016
The announcement comes less than 24 hours after former Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau is reported to have turned been unable to come to terms with the team, including a reported dispute over term. Boudreau signed a four-year deal with the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
Boucher has spent the last three seasons coaching SC Bern in Switzerland, though he came very close to landing a job as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer, until Mike Babcock agreed to terms with the team.
Boucher was previously the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2010-13.
