Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that Bruce Boudreau will return as head coach for the 2022.23 season. Boudreau’s option year for next season pays him $2.5 million in salary.

“We are pleased to see Bruce’s commitment to return to the Canucks next season,” said Allvin. “He has done a great job since arriving in Vancouver and we are eager to see the team continue to perform under his leadership as they did during the second half of the season.”

“My desire has always been to come back to coach this team,” said Boudreau, who has a year left on his contract. “I love the organization, city, fans, and the players. I’m also grateful for the opportunity provided to me by Jim and Patrik to continue building what we started.”

Boudreau has quickly become a fan favorite in the short time he’s been in Vancouver. If you need proof, just checkout the replies to the Canucks official announcement on Twitter.

There it is.

Bruce Boudreau will return to the #Canucks bench this coming season.

DETAILS | https://t.co/5v2PBuVNYa pic.twitter.com/89sI499mmx

— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) May 13, 2022

Boudreau, 67, was named the 20th Head Coach in Canucks history on December 5, 2021 and his impact was felt immediately. He became just the third coach in NHL history to win his first seven games with a new team, matching Geoff Ward (CGY, 2019.20) and Jacques Lemaire (NJD, 1993.94). Since taking over mid-season, Boudreau guided the team to a 32-15-10 record (74 points), which was the second-best record by points-percentage (.649) in the Pacific Division during that time.

On January 23, Boudreau coached his 1,000th regular season game in the NHL, becoming the 26th head coach in NHL history to reach the milestone. Among coaches with at least 1,000 games coached in the NHL, his .635 points-percentage ranks second only to Scotty Bowman (.657).

Boudreau is also just one victory shy of 600 career wins, which would make him the 22nd coach in League history to reach that mark. He has a career coaching record of 599-317-125 in 1,024 regular season games with the Canucks (2021.22 to present), Minnesota Wild (2016.17 to 2019.20), Anaheim Ducks (2011.12 to 2015.16), and Washington Capitals (2007.08 to 2011.12).

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Boudreau has also coached 90 playoff games (43-47) and was the recipient of the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2008.

Boudreau was hired mid-year by the Capitals during the 2007-08 season and led them to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in the Alex Ovechkin era with 11 wins in the final 12 games of the season. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year that season. In five seasons with the Capitals, Boudreau went 201-88-40. He guided them to their first Presidents’ Trophy in 2009-10 and to the top of the Eastern Conference again the next season but was never able to get them past the second round.

Boudreau worked as a studio analyst for NHL Network between his jobs with the Wild and Canucks and had a conversation with the Capitals about returning in the same role after they fired head coach Todd Reirden in August 2020 but it did not go far. The team ultimately decided to hire Peter Laviolette instead.

By Harrison Brown

Images From Canucks Twitter: