The Anaheim Ducks are a team looking for a head coach after releasing Bruce Boudreau following the 2015-16 season. Boudreau may have received more than his fair share of the blame for the Ducks’ season, but he certainly had his faults. When asked about what the team is looking for in a new coach, Ryan Kesler had a list of qualities which subtly also pointed out Boudreau’s weaknesses.
Via Puck Daddy:
“We just need a good bench coach, a coach that does things on the fly and makes changes during the game and not just between periods. We need a coach that holds everybody accountable — not just certain guys. We need a coach to come in and just be a good motivator and do what a coach does.
The biggest thing is we need a good bench coach for strategies. But it’s not my job to pick a coach because there are a lot of good ones out there.”
Boudreau has been criticized in the past for his inability to adjust on the fly. Without calling him out directly, Kesler’s comments reflect the desire for a coach who can adjust and alter a strategy as the game is unfolding. Motivation and getting the most out of a room might be the biggest job for a coach and it sounds like Boudreau struggled based on Kesler’s comments.
It’ll be interesting to see who Anaheim brings in now that Kesler (and others) have publicly made comments.
