Toronto Maple Leafs: Guy Boucher Is a Useful Backup Plan

The addition of Guy Boucher to the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching staff seems smart for more than just the obvious reason.

Of course, the obvious reason is that the Toronto Maple Leafs have added an experienced NHL coach as an assistant coach, which can’t be seen as a bad thing.

After all, experience behind an NHL bench isn’t the easiest to come by and it certainly speaks to the team continue to go all-in on this group.

In fact, Guy Boucher has more NHL playoff series wins than the Leafs head coach he’s working under.

Toronto Maple Leafs Have Played It Slightly Safe

The Toronto Maple Leafs have indeed played it safe by lining themselves up with a replacement head coach if Sheldon Keefe falters this season.

Guy Boucher has plenty of experience in the Atlantic Division, having led both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators to Eastern Conference Finals.

What’s more; he’s a coach with a willingness to experiment tactically, infamously testing out a 1-3-1 system that led to some rather dull action, during his tenure in Tampa.

Much like Kyle Dubas knew he had a backup plan in Sheldon Keefe, who had proven his worth leading the Toronto Marlies to a Calder Cup, Guy Boucher gives some safety net to new General Manager, Brad Treliving even if Boucher’s hiring seems to be more at the request of Keefe.

Indeed, per Sportsnet, this wasn’t the first time the Toronto Maple Leafs or Sheldon Keefe had considered bringing Boucher in.

In itself this is a little bit of a curiosity, is it a sign of Keefe being that confident in his abilities that he’s willing to have an NHL-ready head coach within his own coaching ranks?

Or is this a decision coming down from above that Keefe is simply playing the good public relations game on?

Guy Boucher is a probable safe bet to step in, though his regular season coaching record in the NHL certainly has some room for improvement.

Where he stands out is how he manages to get his team’s performing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which of course is music to the ears of Toronto Maple Leafs fans, who only recently tasted their first playoff series success in over a decade.

In the short term though, he’s taking over the Toronto Maple Leafs powerplay, which in itself has a big additional piece in John Klingberg.

Given he pumped the Ottawa Senators from basement dwellers to 13th-best powerplay in his final term, the Leafs should be looking at improving.

Time will ultimately tell as to whether this signing is one solely for the powerplay or is part of a bigger plan if Keefe stumbles out of the blocks. Either way, Guy Boucher should have the team in good hands.