Following the massive exodus of multiple members from the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching staff, with head coach Sheldon Keefe relieved of his duties and the departures of assistant coaches Manny Malhotra and Dean Chynoweth, it was announced on Saturday that another key figure from the 2023-24 staff will not be returning for the upcoming season.
Assistsnt coach Guy Boucher became the latest offseason casualty as the Toronto Maple Leafs mercilessly continue to make major offseason changes with hopes to put out a stronger, successful winning product on the ice for the 2024-25 season.
Boucher was hired by the Maple Leafs in July last year with his main role to help run the team’s power play.
For an area that had been a dominating strength of the Leafs in the previous couple of seasons, ranking first in the NHL in 2021-22 and second in 2022-23 behind the Edmonton Oilers, their power play actually fell to seventh in the league with just a 24% success rate last season under the guidance of Boucher, while it was a season-ending disaster in the playoffs.
Guy Boucher the Latest Toronto Maple Leafs Coach Not Returning Next Season
The Leafs power play completely collapsed during their first round series against the Boston Bruins in the playoffs, as they went a woeful 1-for-21 for just a 4.8% success rate.
Coupled with a sputtering penalty kill as well, the Maple Leafs special teams ultimately decided their fate as they fell to the Bruins once again in seven games.
With their inept ability to come through when the games mattered most, the writing was ultimately on the wall for Boucher following the abrupt end to the Leafs disappointing season.
Boucher had previously held roles in the NHL as head coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning for three seasons between 2010 to 2013 and with the Ottawa Senators for another three seasons between 2016 to 2019.
He has compiled a cumulative record of 191-186-46 during the regular season and a 22-15 mark for the playoffs for his coaching career. Boucher had been out of the NHL since then until joining the Leafs as their assistant coach this past season. Given his previous success and experience coaching in the NHL, there should be some potential suitors on the table for Boucher in the coming weeks. (All stats from NHL.com and hockey-reference.com)
With both Chynoweth and Malhotra, and now Boucher removed from the Leafs coaching staff list for 2024-25, it is becoming quite apparent now that new Leafs head coach Craig Berube is looking to form his own competent group to help lead the team for this upcoming season.
Hopefully, all of these changes end up working out for Toronto in their pursuit to finally end their Stanley Cup drought once and for all.