Last-place Senators fire Guy Boucher with 5 weeks left in season

With five weeks left in the regular season and absolutely nothing to prove, play for, or really accomplish at this point having just traded the top three scorers on the team, the Ottawa Senators have decided that it’s time for a coaching change.

Guy Boucher was fired on Friday morning while nearing completion on his third season at the helm, and the decision was made to replace him on an interim basis with serving assistant coach Marc Crawford.

The justification? General manager Pierre Dorion explained through a markedly transparent press release that the Senators require a “different set of coaching and leadership skills” to guide them through their rebuild, and that the franchise values the perspective Crawford can bring.

Okay, that’s fine. Few probably expected the Senators to run out Guy Boucher for another season in this transitional phase for their franchise anyway, let alone invest more money into his process.

But why embarrass a coach that helped orchestrate a conference finals appearance with his contract set to expire?

I suppose there’s an argument for the Senators being eager to see how the team responds to Crawford in a trial run, of sorts. But based on a very detailed explanation of precisely what they’re looking for from their next bench boss, they should already know if Crawford meets the desired prerequisites.

Here’s the job description the Senators shared with their fans, which, to be quite honest, reads out like an attack on Boucher’s abilities.

From the Senators’ website:

“In tandem with an evaluation of our current coaching staff, we will conduct a search for a new head coach following the season. We will be looking for a coach who excels as:

• A teacher who will focus on the development and growth of each player on the team;

• A listener who encourages feedback from players and the coaching staff;

• A communicator who lets every team member know where they stand and what is expected;

• A tactician who brings structure and game planning that will enhance our rebuild.”

So, Boucher failed with all of that?

This unceremonious dismissal wasn’t justified based on the merits of helping the Senators achieve their greatest successes in recent memory: climbing to within a goal of reaching the Stanley Cup Final.

But it makes even less sense given the fact the franchise just vouched for him earlier this week.

Aside from a few more losses (which is to be expected), what changed?

The Senators have 18 games left in what has been a disastrous, but at least somewhat productive season. They have nearly turned over the entire roster that Boucher was handed three years ago, and assembled a decent base of prospects and picks to support Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot and the up-and-coming core.

If firing Boucher is enough of a shot in the arm to prevent Ottawa from riding its current six-game skid through to the end of the season, perhaps there’s some reason behind the rationale.

But what it looks like now is another one added to the list spiteful and emotional (and likely Melnyk-influenced) decisions that have plagued this franchise over the last 18 months.

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