Is Guy Boucher the next Tampa Bay Lightning coach?

Posted Jun 8, 2010 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Jun 7, 2010 at 11:59 PM

Multiple reports out of Montreal late Monday night indicated the Lightning are set to announce Guy Boucher as the team’s new head coach.

Montreal sports television outlet RDS stated Boucher, who earlier in the day turned down a head coaching opportunity with Columbus, resigned from his position as head coach with Hamilton of the American Hockey League, the top affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. The report indicated an announcement would be made on Tuesday and Boucher would be adding his Hamilton assistant coaches, Martin Raymond and Daniel Lacroix, to his coaching staff. Canadian television station TSN also reported late Monday a deal - believed to be for four years - was still being finalized, but Boucher was on the verge of becoming the replacement for Rick Tocchet, who was fired on April 12.

A Lightning team spokesman reached late Monday could not confirm the report and had no immediate comment. No press conference has been scheduled for Tuesday, however.

Boucher, 38, was named the top coach in the American Hockey League this season after leading Hamilton to a 52-11-17 record and a conference final berth in his first season behind the bench with the Bulldogs. Boucher would become the youngest coach in the league. He also led Drummondville to the Memorial Cup finals in Canadian junior hockey the previous season.