Toronto Maple Leafs Announce Departure of Assistant Coach Guy Boucher Ahead of 2024-25 Season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that assistant coach Guy Boucher will not return for the 2024-25 season. Boucher, who was responsible for the team’s power play during his one-year tenure, saw the Maple Leafs finish the regular season with the seventh-ranked power play unit in the league. However, Toronto’s power play faltered during their first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, scoring only one goal on 21 opportunities. The Leafs were eliminated in seven games.
Boucher’s departure marks a significant change for the Maple Leafs, who have undergone substantial coaching changes this offseason. Prior to his role with Toronto, Boucher served as an NHL head coach for six seasons: three with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2010-2013) and three with the Ottawa Senators (2016-2019). Notably, he led both teams to the Eastern Conference Finals in his debut seasons.
The coaching shake-up in Toronto began with the firing of head coach Sheldon Keefe in May, shortly after the Bruins ousted the Maple Leafs from the playoffs. The Leafs quickly moved to hire Craig Berube as his successor. Berube, who was let go by the St. Louis Blues in December 2023 after a 13-14-1 start, previously guided the Blues to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2019. Over his tenure with the Blues, Berube accumulated a 206-132-44 record, achieving a .597 points percentage. Before his time in St. Louis, he coached the Philadelphia Flyers from 2013 to 2015, where he posted a 75-58-28 record and a .553 points percentage.
In further adjustments to the coaching staff, Berube brought in Lane Lambert as an associate coach on June 5. On the same day, it was announced that Dean Chynoweth would not return as an assistant coach. Lambert, who previously led the New York Islanders to a 61-46-20 record and a playoff berth in 2023 during his two-season stint as head coach, adds substantial experience to the Maple Leafs’ bench.
The Maple Leafs’ decision to part ways with Boucher and bring in new coaching talent reflects their commitment to reshaping the team and addressing the issues that have hindered their playoff performance. With Berube and Lambert joining the coaching staff, Toronto aims to leverage their extensive NHL experience to build a more competitive and resilient team for the upcoming season.