Bruce Boudreau is still the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.
That's in spite of all reports indicating that president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford has already selected Boudreau's replacement, Rick Tocchet, with the former Arizona Coyotes head coach expected to step behind the bench next week.
It's not only an awkward situation — it's an appalling way to treat a person. Boudreau deserves better than to be hung out to try as a lame duck coach. His made it clear just how much this situation has affected Boudreau.
Boudreau deserves a proper farewell, so I put together a parody of "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from the movie Encanto and retitled it, "We Don't Talk About Boudreau."
Here are the lyrics, so you can follow along:
We don’t talk about Boudreau
We don’t talk about Boudreau, no no no!
We don’t talk about Boudreau…but
Do you remember
(Do you remember)
It was December and the playoffs were nowhere in sight
(No playoff rounds to excite)
Boudreau came in and they started to win
(Playoffs!)
You’re getting a little overhyped
(I’m sorry, it’s been so long)
The point streak ended at nine games
(Pretty good, fellas)
A few teams they couldn’t contain
(Better than Tortorella)
Like the Carolina Hurricanes
(It was a shame but still we say)
Bruce, there it is, Boudreau, whoa-oh-oh
Bruce, there it is, Boudreau
Rutherford appeared to criticize his coaching
Second-guessing every systematic approach, King
Yeo and Cull and Clarkie all combined, tsk tsk tsk
It’s a heavy cost with a roster fumbling
Right from the start of the season tumbling
Now Rutherford has Tocchet on the line
Bruce is out of time
200-foot game, forwards coming back
If the system don’t change, Boudreau will be sacked
Half their special teams are nearing obscene
But we don’t talk about Boudreau, no, no, no!
We don’t talk about Boudreau
Thought they were a playoff team
The next day: dead!
They said it was all Green’s fault
Now they want Bruce’s head
They lost all of their first seven games, they made their own bed
His fate was sealed when the roster was misread!
Some believe that a new coach can bring in a system to save everything
Some believe that it would only be like the deck chairs rearranging
(Look now, Rick Tocchet’s on his way)
Some believe that the coach of their dreams
Is now just down the street
Coaching in Abbotsford
Will they sign him now?
(Hey Jim, I want playoff rounds out of you)
They won’t sign him now
Oh Boudreau
What about Boudreau
Are they really gonna let go Boudreau
Do you remember saying "There it is," Boudreau?
Vancouver, Rick Tocchet’s here
(Time for defence)
They’re trading Tocchet for Boudreau
It’s time to say farewell Boudreau