Bruce Boudreau

[PaulD]

It's sad that Lindy Ruff keeps getting coaching jobs and yet Bruce Boudreau is still without a job. Ironically, if Bruce does what Lindy did, he could be back as a coach, as in take an Assistant Coach gig somewhere for a year or two and bide his time. Although at his age and maybe his health? He might want to just call it a career in coaching and move into some management or that cushy "scout" role that allows him to stay where he wants to stay and scout the area.

You find it sad that Lindy is getting jobs.....and Bruce isn't?
So if Bruce gets yet another job does that fall into the sad category with Ruff?

I have a feeling that he doesn't want to coach anymore. He's getting up there in years, his style doesn't work anymore and I don't think he would have the time or patience to learn and implement structure that he lacked.

He said that, when he got hired in Vancouver, that one of his dreams was to coach a Canadian team and he got that. I bet that his fan adoration during his time here, to when everyone knew he was done, would have been his swansong

Heard him on Stellick show recently.....he's ready and wants to coach again.

 

[PaulD]

Sullivan is a top coach in the league, but every coach has an expiration date. His players don't play hard for him and his message is stale. It's difficult to take a coach seriously after so many years of being yelled at when you realize that it means nothing and there's no consequences for poor play.

and he coaches the same way nomatter who he has.
Pens fet 6 to 8 new players every summer.....and come out and lose the exact same way every year.

 

[LuGBuG]

Naw, he’s almost 70 and not in good shape. (Not that he ever was)

He’s on NHL Network and I don’t claim to be a genius but i disagree with his analysis very frequently. Outdated, simplistic views

Hard to see him reaching young guys in the league these days

If Filthy Dangles from HF disagrees with your analysis then you just have no place in the league anymore

 

[Honour Over Glory]

You find it sad that Lindy is getting jobs.....and Bruce isn't?
So if Bruce gets yet another job does that fall into the sad category with Ruff?

Neither should be coaching anymore, Bruce is pushing 70 and Ruff has pushed past being ass at it.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

and he coaches the same way nomatter who he has.
Pens fet 6 to 8 new players every summer.....and come out and lose the exact same way every year.

Right, you'll have almost no Pens fan argue otherwise. We know it, this is the issue with teams keeping coaches for a long time. Mike Sullivan is still riding the hype from 2015-17, the last 7-8 seasons he hasn't done jack shit and should have been fired at the end of 2022-23 at the latest. But because this dipshit of a coach has a really deep connection with FSG for some reason, to the extent that he went above his GM's head and negotiated his own extension with ownership directly, he somehow keeps getting talked up like he's fantastic.

It's beyond comical he's the US Coach, not only that, he hired his mentor and protégé as his assistants while Guerin appointed Hynes for obvious reasons. Sullivan is an old boys club wanker, Quinn basically loves to do the same, prioritize vets over youth unless it's so blatantly obvious that he'd get in shit for doing it but will try to anyway. In Sullivan's case - If you dare to criticize him after a bad game or a bad stretch, you'll likely never get a chance to ask a question again because the Penguins will protect this dipshit.

So yeah, if you thought we were going to say Sullivan is great, definitely not. Maybe he could be with another team if he gets past himself, but chances are he won't spend any time out of a job to understand that and will be right back into another gig. All of us Pens fans just wish that was a lot sooner.

In Ruff's case - I think he's been past his prime, Brunette was likely leaned on a ton because his success from the Panthers to the Predators is more obvious than Ruff's lately, the fact that Ruff was basically questioning decisions he was making and confused on how to fix things in the media after bad games, kind of says it all. The NHL needs more fresh blood in coaches or at least give the right ones another shot, not retirement aged wankers like Bruce and Ruff, both should be retired from coaching already.

Woodcroft, Nelson, etc all should be given another chance over Ruff and even Bruce.

 

[Voight]

I thought he would've been a good hire for a team that isn't 100% confident in their coach so that if they fire him in season, they have a veteran replacement ready to go.

 

[Breakers]

Last time he was coaching he injured Demko with consecutive starts and continued to start him even when he was injured

Idiot head coach

 

[Filthy Dangles]

If Filthy Dangles from HF disagrees with your analysis then you just have no place in the league anymore

Agreed

What does shape have to do with it for a coach?

Idk, you gotta be able to skate somewhat with the boys in practice. he's 70 and obese

 

[57special]

What does shape have to do with it for a coach?

As one gets up to his age, quite a bit. The travel alone gets to be very tiring, let alone the stress of the job itself. FWIW, i think BB is an above average coach, and should've been hired before this, but as i look at the way he has put on weight i think that it's better that he focus on his health. He's obese right now, and it's only a matter of time before he has serious health problems because of it.

I say this with love. Bruce is the best!

 

[PaulD]

Right, you'll have almost no Pens fan argue otherwise. We know it, this is the issue with teams keeping coaches for a long time. Mike Sullivan is still riding the hype from 2015-17, the last 7-8 seasons he hasn't done jack shit and should have been fired at the end of 2022-23 at the latest. But because this dipshit of a coach has a really deep connection with FSG for some reason, to the extent that he went above his GM's head and negotiated his own extension with ownership directly, he somehow keeps getting talked up like he's fantastic.

It's beyond comical he's the US Coach, not only that, he hired his mentor and protégé as his assistants while Guerin appointed Hynes for obvious reasons. Sullivan is an old boys club wanker, Quinn basically loves to do the same, prioritize vets over youth unless it's so blatantly obvious that he'd get in shit for doing it but will try to anyway. In Sullivan's case - If you dare to criticize him after a bad game or a bad stretch, you'll likely never get a chance to ask a question again because the Penguins will protect this dipshit.

So yeah, if you thought we were going to say Sullivan is great, definitely not. Maybe he could be with another team if he gets past himself, but chances are he won't spend any time out of a job to understand that and will be right back into another gig. All of us Pens fans just wish that was a lot sooner.

In Ruff's case - I think he's been past his prime, Brunette was likely leaned on a ton because his success from the Panthers to the Predators is more obvious than Ruff's lately, the fact that Ruff was basically questioning decisions he was making and confused on how to fix things in the media after bad games, kind of says it all. The NHL needs more fresh blood in coaches or at least give the right ones another shot, not retirement aged wankers like Bruce and Ruff, both should be retired from coaching already.

Woodcroft, Nelson, etc all should be given another chance over Ruff and even Bruce.

Great post.
And no, I've been visiting the Pens board during games for years......Pens fans are very knowledgeable and see right through Sully and his bromance with ownership.

Neither should be coaching anymore, Bruce is pushing 70 and Ruff has pushed past being ass at it.

yep.....but both would be an improvement over Sullivan in Pittsburg. ha!

 

[JPT]

If Filthy Dangles from HF disagrees with your analysis then you just have no place in the league anymore

I'm always saying this, often to the confusion of whoever I'm talking to

 

[kingsholygrail]

Pretty sure Bruce knows the rigors of being a head coach in the NHL well enough to make his own decision about his health and willingness to do the job.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Great post.
And no, I've been visiting the Oens board during games for years......Pens fans are very knowledgeable and see right through Sully and his romance with ownership.


yep.....but both would be an improvement over Sullivan in Pittsburg. ha!

An Eddie Johnston at a youthful 88yrs old is an improvement over Sullivan.

 

[PaulD]

An Eddie Johnston at a youthful 88yrs old is an improvement over Sullivan.

yes, names of coaches that would be an improvement over Sullivan in Pittsburg would make for an extremely long list.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Last time he was coaching he injured Demko with consecutive starts and continued to start him even when he was injured

Idiot head coach

His time in Vancouver was a disaster and I can only laugh when people say otherwise.

Like you said he rode Demko and when he took over from Travis, Vancouver was already on an upwards swing.
He was terrible when it came to who he gave ice time to and imo destroyed Podkolzins confidence who had thrived under Travis once he got top six minutes.
He did the same with Hogz.

He literally had no defensive systems basically played shinny and once Demko was hurt, he was completely exposed for being unable to adapt and play any semblance of low event hockey.

Just look at Tochetts record when Demko wasn't in net, you could easily see the nucks style of play shift to low event hockey with the forwards playing deeper and an emphasis on funneling everything to the outside.
The playoffs was the biggest example of this where the team played safe boring hockey in order to insulate Silovs and CDS and it for the most part shut down the two highest scoring teams from January on.
Both teams generated very little 5on5 but unfortunately especially in the oilers series the goalies were exposed on the pk where goalies have to be the best player on the ice.
How many times did we see Edmonton get shut down for almost the entire pk only to score on the only shot they managed.

Bruce is a dinosaur who would need to completely change his mindset to coach today.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Last time he was coaching he injured Demko with consecutive starts and continued to start him even when he was injured

Idiot head coach

If a team doctor clears a player and the player is in the line up, it's not the coach's fault to play his best option. Demko was never ruined, he came with baggage with his injury history before even turning pro. His current injury is likely one he has to play with since it can't be fixed via surgery.

Bruce came in from a fired coach and did a great job, the canucks stripped a lot of defensive help he relied on and he struggled, Tocchet came in and did what Bruce did after Green was fired. Being mad at him at this point is dumb considering if he did better, you don't have Tocchet.

yes, names of coaches that would be an improvement over Sullivan in Pittsburg would make for an extremely long list.

We've all discussed names. Before Warsofsky was hired by the Sharks I was talking him up and before Carle started to get more attention he was another bloke I mentioned and I've also mentioned Nelson as a very good coaching option.

I mean even Woodcroft not getting any of the vacant coaching jobs is weird to me. Gallant for whatever his issues are, not getting another job is also odd.

But a crusty ass Ruff? Lol. Bruce is definitely done and Sullivan should have been punted a couple of years ago. For me personally after the Habs loss in the play-in was the last straw for me.

 

[Breakers]

If a team doctor clears a player and the player is in the line up, it's not the coach's fault to play his best option. Demko was never ruined, he came with baggage with his injury history before even turning pro. His current injury is likely one he has to play with since it can't be fixed via surgery.

Bruce came in from a fired coach and did a great job, the canucks stripped a lot of defensive help he relied on and he struggled, Tocchet came in and did what Bruce did after Green was fired. Being mad at him at this point is dumb considering if he did better, you don't have Tocchet.


We've all discussed names. Before Warsofsky was hired by the Sharks I was talking him up and before Carle started to get more attention he was another bloke I mentioned and I've also mentioned Nelson as a very good coaching option.

I mean even Woodcroft not getting any of the vacant coaching jobs is weird to me. Gallant for whatever his issues are, not getting another job is also odd.

But a crusty ass Ruff? Lol. Bruce is definitely done and Sullivan should have been punted a couple of years ago. For me personally after the Habs loss in the play-in was the last straw for me.

Nope
Consecutive starts was his idea
The only time he started Halak he got his hand stepped on and Demko had to come in again.

He was trying to make the playoffs and kept continuing to play him which resulted in surgery

Absolute brain dead coach

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Nope
Consecutive starts was his idea
The only time he started Halak he got his hand stepped on and Demko had to come in again.

He was trying to make the playoffs and kept continuing to play him which resulted in surgery

Absolute brain dead coach

Bruce is probably also responsible for global warming and Tua's concussion.

 

[Breakers]

Bruce is probably also responsible for global warming and Tua's concussion.

How’s his job hunt been since Vancouver if he isn’t so bad?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

How’s his job hunt been since Vancouver if he isn’t so bad?

He's 69.

He was done after the Wild and had a year off from coaching until the canucks got desperate after firing Green.

He's likely done now too and isn't as actively looking as the other coaches given his age. Neither him nor Ruff should have been on any teams radar this off season for coaching hires, I still find it hilarious a team like Buffalo went back to Ruff who hasn't had much success since leaving Buffalo.

Woodcroft would have been a better hire imo.