Bruce Boudreau: Patron Saint of Second Chances

This is a good story on the coach of the Washington Capitals and I didn't want it go get buried in the NHL Running Ghetto.

http://www.thestar.com/article/613884

One of the good guys and as Double J would point out (except this is my thread ), guy had a bit part in Slap Shot.

The Leafs basically buried him in the minors because in the old pre-free agency days, they could.

It was also the party-hardy '70s, Boudreau notes. And back then the players partook. "After practice you'd go out and have lunch with the Leafs. And lunches lasted an awful lot longer than they do now. I was trying so hard to be everybody's friend that I didn't sometimes realize what I had to do."

Boudreau's very best friend – former Leaf and now Atlanta coach John Anderson – has another version. "The Leafs buried Bruce Boudreau. They basically ate him. He was easily good enough to play in the NHL, but there was no such thing as free agency back then. The teams had all the power and the players had none.

"So rather than let Boudreau make another team better, the Leafs would tuck him away, and maybe use him down the road. It wasn't just the Leafs. All the teams did this.."

Never forgot where he came from.

 

OK, but nothing but beats this Max Talbot (Penguins) car commercial for cheesiness.

 

All he ever did when the Leafs called him up was score. Apparently his work ethic wasn't the greatest, but he sure as hell wasn't the only Leaf of the era who coasted on talent.....Ian Turnbull, anyone?

And he's all over the first Chiefs-Presidents game in Slap Shot, wearing No. 7 for Hyannisport.

 

What I found amazing last year was how quickly all the players rallied around his message.

Elliotte Friedman did a great piece on him in Inside Hockey last season (part of the HNIC pre-game show)

Just looked for it on the CBC website but couldn't find it.

 

You never let us down, Double J.

Hey, I hear you're getting maybe 10 cm of snow tomorrow.

Vive Grey and Bruce counties!

 

That's the forecast.....along with blowing snow tomorrow night, and more flurries on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Here's hoping they're wrong. :-\

 

CITV TV said it was so and they never sensationalize anything,including the ten people there who have the weather beat.

Seriously, have you seen that many " meteorologists" on one TV station?

Percy Saltzman would not be amused.

 

When Boudreau was named Caps coach, the only thing I could remember is getting a bit worried every time WOWO's Bob Chase said "Boudreau with the puck, on a rush" ... that, and it was about the only French name Chase could pronounce correctly .

That, and it reminded me that the Fort Wayne Komets sucked . (or at least that's what we thought at the other end of I-69).

 

Huh-huh-huh.....you said you 69....huh-huh-huh....huh-huh....

 

I covered Boudreau his last season coaching in the ECHL and have said before on SJ he was great to deal with.