The Anaheim Ducks made a very well-respected coach available earlier this week when they fired Bruce Boudreau after five seasons.
After a miserable 1-7-2 start to the season, the Ducks decided to stick with Boudreau and he led them to a tremendous turnaround and a Pacific Division title. Normally an attacking squad, Boudreau shifted the Ducks philosophy and made them a tight-checking team with the lowest GAA in the league. In Washington and Anaheim, Boudreau has proved he can get wins using any kind of system.
Now, after getting bounced in the first round and losing their fourth straight Game 7 under Boudreau, the Ducks are looking to replace him. But who will be the one to fill these shoes?
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, one coach the Ducks have shown interest in is Travis Green, currently with the AHL’s Utica Comets.
“It’s believed he’s on Anaheim’s list,” Friedman said. “He played there, he played with a couple people who have good influence in their organization, Scott Niedermayer and Todd Marchant. Anaheim has three former NHL coaches in their organization, but I do think Green is going to get an interview here, too.”
Green is in his third season as head coach of the Comets, but they were eliminated in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Before arriving in Utica, he went to a Memorial Cup final as head coach of the Portland Winterhawks in 2013.
Green played 970 career NHL games with the Islanders, Anaheim, Phoenix, Toronto and Boston, scoring 455 points.