Boudreau chasing history as Canucks return from 13-day layoff

Dec 29 2021, 9:50 pm

It’s game day for the Vancouver Canucks for the first time in a while, and head coach Bruce Boudreau has the chance to chase history.

Boudreau can become just the sixth coach in NHL to start 7-0-0 with a new team after a near two-week layoff.

The Canucks will return to action today against the Anaheim Ducks — Vancouver’s first game since a 5-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on December 16 — and Boudreau extended his franchise-best mark to begin a head coaching stint with the Canucks in the affair, pushing his winning streak to six straight with the victorious result.

Boudreau is the sixth NHL head coach to win his first six games with a team, after Geoff Ward (7-0-0, 2019-20 Calgary Flames; Jacques Lemaire (7-0-0, 1993-94 New Jersey Devils), Patrick Roy (6-0-0, 2013-14 Colorado Avalanche), Bryan Murray (6-0-0, 2005-06 Ottawa Senators) and Mario Tremblay (6-0-0, 1995-96 Montreal Canadiens).

Not bad.

He can tie Ward and Lemaire for most wins to start with a new team, and can also tie Roger Nielson (5-0-2) for most games earning at least a point to start a Canucks’ coaching tenure.

Even better.

Boudreau signed on as Canucks coachĀ on December 5, and has been a fan favourite ever since. Heā€™s got hisĀ own song,Ā t-shirt, and most importantly, that 6-0 record behind the bench that has seen his team outscore opponents 22-10 during that span,

Oh. He also became a Cameo star over that break, too.

The lengthy layoff, Vancouver fans hope, won’t slow Boudreau’s effect.

Losing Brock Boeser might, though. Boeser, Phillip Di Guiseppe, and a team staff member were placed in COVID-19 protocol earlier Wednesday.

The Canucks were originally scheduled to return Monday against the Seattle Kraken, but that game was postponed among a host of games within Canada’s borders that are to be rescheduled.

In all, five Canucks games were postponed and are to be rescheduled.Ā 

Vancouver will also be at 50% capacity when the team returns to Rogers Arena.

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