Maple Leafs coach Guy Boucher leaves the organization after one season

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Cooper Godin
June 15, 2024 (2:20 PM)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs made an announcement on Saturday afternoon regarding the future of one of their assistant coach.

In a post on social media, the Maple Leafs announced that assistant coach Guy Boucher has left the organization after one season behind the bench. A reason for Boucher's departure has yet to be revealed.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that assistant coach Guy Boucher will not return to the coaching staff." The Maple Leafs' PR account said on X.

Boucher, 52, joined the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer as an assistant coach, along with Mike Van Ryn. This was Boucher's first job back in the National Hockey League in nearly five years after being fired midway through the 2018-19 season while head coach of the Maple Leafs' rivals, the Ottawa Senators.

During his time with the Maple Leafs, Boucher was in charge of running the team's powerplay, which was loaded with offensive talent including Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner. The Maple Leafs finished the regular season with the seventh-best powerplay percentage in the National Hockey League at 23.95%, according to Covers.com.

However in the playoffs, their powerplay fell off a cliff, going 1-for-21 during their seven-game series against the Boston Bruins in Round 1. If the Leafs' powerplay got going in that series, it certainly could have provided the boost they needed to get past their long-time rival.

It's unclear what comes next for Guy Boucher, but it wouldn't be shocking to see him back behind a bench in the National Hockey League, potentially in charge of a powerplay again, as early as the 2024-25 season.