They convene in person at 6: 15 am Monday, little more than four years after the phone call granted Bruce Boudreau dreams. This time the news is not bringing excitement to the coach. This time general manager George McPhee said Boudreau's time behind the bench in Washington is over.
Word spread quickly to the player. Most of the wake-up telephone call or text message. Some read the news on the Internet. Almost to a man they take responsibility for the fate of the Boudreau's. Although 201 WINS at the four seasons, and repeated failure playoff Hat slides surprise this month sealed his fate.
"When I first discovered this morning my first thought was I wish I could do more," said forward Brooks Laich. "It is the nature of the beast. This is a business, and we understand it. I feel terrible for Bruce as he left his dream. It would be like if You ripped off one of our players out of the locker room. If you ripped out of the locker room. That is how I think it's going to feel. "
Boudreau's team is a combined 201-88-40 under and over each of the past two seasons with points in the Eastern Conference standings. He was appointed as the Jack Adams Award winner as the NHL coach of the year after taking over for Glen Hanlon early in the season 2007-08 season, lifting the Washington of the NHL's worst record the day he took a job for the first playoff appearance in five years. In the end, it is not enough.
"You see a lot of changes with the coach, and if you are with the team for quite a while, there will be a change in training," the veteran Center Jeff Halpern said. "I think Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff and a few others have had a long time ago where they continue to have a good team. But Bruce is a pretty emotional guy, and I know a lot of the game and the battle that they have been in the playoffs here is very intense. For whatever reason, the coach in the NHL only lifeof tend to go out. "