Report: “Not a foregone conclusion” Boudreau returns to the Canucks next season

The Vancouver Canucks’ season was completely turned around after the club cleaned house and ended the Jim Benning and Travis Green eras of Canucks hockey.

The Canucks’ turnaround has come largely from the influence of new head coach Bruce Boudreau.

Fans and media alike have taken a liking to Boudreau’s positive attitude and upbeat personality, which is why it comes as a shock to some to hear that the Canucks would even consider not bringing Boudreau back next season.

When Boudreau was brought on board by Canucks ownership in December, he was signed to a one-year contract with a club option for next year.

That means that Boudreau is signed to the end of this current season, and the Canucks can choose to keep him around if they so please, as the terms of the agreement for next season have already been determined.

When asked flat out by Sportsnet 650’s Dan Riccio if he felt Boudreau was this team’s long term coach, general manager Patrik Allvin had this to say:

“We haven’t got into those discussions yet,” said Allvin. “Again, we’re evaluating our team as we move along here. That will be something that we, in our hockey ops, we’ll sit down after the season and talk about it.”

The question has to be asked — what exactly more could the Canucks want from Boudreau?

The 67-year-old led the Canucks out of the basement of the standings to a 24-13-7 record since his debut on December 6 — good for the 13th-best points percentage (.625) in the league during that timespan.

Boudreau also has the option not to return next season, but based on his answer when asked about the possibility of returning, Boudreau made it rather clear that he’d like to return to Vancouver.

“I think I’ve done an okay job. That’s a tough question. I want to coach forever and I really like Vancouver, so I guess that sort of answers the question.”

Against all odds, Boudreau has gotten the Canucks to win many games this season, and wants to be here next year. It seems like a no-brainer for the club to pick up the option for his second year.

But according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, there’s certainly at least a chance that the Canucks and Boudreau could be headed separate ways:

“I’ve been told the language of the contract is unique, and that there are protections for Boudreau in it. However, what I think it also means is that there’s a possibility that Boudreau might not be coming back next year,” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “It hardly seems like a 100% foregone conclusion that he’s coming back next year, which I find incredibly hard to believe.”

“He has done an unbelievable job,” added Friedman. “He helped fill that building and bring some fans back and create some excitement and get them going the right way. But it hardly seems like a 100% foregone conclusion that he’s coming back next year, which I find incredibly hard to believe.”