Now a member of the Anaheim Ducks, Joël Bouchard seems to be doing well in his new environment. The Quebec head coach had made the decision to leave the Montreal Canadiens organization to lead the Anaheim Ducks' school club, the San Diego Gulls.
Obviously, the Ducks seem to have given Bouchard a vote of confidence, as he is the one who is leading the Orange County team's rookie camp. Bouchard must have taken the time to get to know his players, knowing his personality.
In addition, the San Diego Gulls have announced that Joël Bouchard will lead the Ducks' rookies in a mini-tournament that will include players from the Sharks, Coyotes, Avalanche, Kings and Golden Knights. The competition gets underway this weekend in Arizona.
Joël Bouchard was on the ice today with a smile on his face. Moreover, the Montreal native visibly abandoned his old tradition of wearing a red helmet. Remember that it was his trademark during his time with the Laval Rocket.
With Dallas Eakins in the hot seat with the Ducks, we shouldn't be surprised if Bouchard finishes the season as head coach with the big club (assumption/hypothesis). The Ducks are clearly not afraid to hand over responsibilities to Bouchard, so it wouldn't be surprising if he already has a bond of trust with the organization's staff. To be continued...
