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Ducks fire Randy Carlyle, hire Bruce Boudreau

Bruce Boudreau

Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau talks during a news conference at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va., Thursday, May 5, 2011. The Capitals we swept out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning, losing Game 4 at Tampa on Wednesday night.(AP Photo/Luis M.

AP

Anaheim Ducks fans clamoring for a big change got their wish, but that huge alteration won’t come in the form of a Bobby Ryan trade - at least not yet. Instead, the team made a stunning decision by replacing Randy Carlyle with Bruce Boudreau. (Oddly enough, the Ducks front page currently has a photo of an angry Boudreau, which is probably the opposite of how he’s feeling right now..)

Here’s what Ducks GM Bob Murray said about the move:

“This was an extremely difficult decision,” Murray said. “Randy is a terrific head coach, and did a tremendous job for us for six-plus seasons. We thank him greatly for his hard work and dedication to our franchise, not the least of which was a Stanley Cup championship. At this time, we simply felt a new voice was needed. Bruce is a proven winner with a great track record, and we are optimistic we can turn this season around under his leadership.”

A quick look at Boudreau in Anaheim

Talk about a speedy turnaround. Boudreau was fired by the Washington Capitals on Monday and didn’t even go a full week without getting another NHL head coaching gig. Then again, speed is the name of the game with Boudreau; the Caps’ best moments came when they attacked with reckless velocity and the expressive head coach recently became the fastest to 200 wins. (Boudreau’s overall record is 201-88-40.)

From a personnel standpoint, this decision makes a ton of sense. If it’s safe to assume that Boudreau might go back to a wide-open style, then he will get the chance to deploy an arsenal of dangerous offensive weapons. Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and (hopefully) Ryan form a core of prodigious scoring talents while Teemu Selanne should pump in his typically staggering amount of goals. The team also features a few nice scoring options from the blueline, so maybe Boudreau could help Lubomir Visnovsky and Cam Fowler produce some serious magic. (Kurtis Foster’s booming shot might be useful, as well.)

The Ducks have traditionally hung Jonas Hiller out to dry and it’s unlikely that Boudreau will do what a former Norris Trophy winner couldn’t completely manage, but the potential bump in goal support might make a big difference anyway.

A glance at Carlyle

Much like Paul Maurice, Carlyle was saddled with a top-heavy roster and usually made the most of it. Carlyle has one serious trump card over Maurice, though: that 2007 Stanley Cup ring. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be shocking if he lands on his feet ... although one would imagine he’ll take a little longer than Boudreau.
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So what do you think? Is this a smart hire by the Ducks or a step in the wrong direction? Share your thoughts in the comments.