"He didn't have control of the locker room" - When new Maple Leafs coach Guy Boucher was ripped apart by ex-NHL player

Chris Neil, a former hockey star for the Ottawa Senators, recently grasped the attention of NHL fans following his comments about Guy Boucher. Boucher is the former head coach for the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has been in the spotlight for controversies that have come to the surface recently.

The Senators struggled to maintain their high level of play in the seasons after 2012, despite a remarkable postseason run, which led to Guy Boucher's departure in March 2019. It's interesting that Chris Neil left Ottawa soon after their playoff success, and his choice was mostly influenced by his displeasure with the amount of ice time he got under Guy Boucher. Neil ultimately decided to retire in spite of offers to continue his career elsewhere.

Now that Neil is being honest about his feelings toward Boucher, he has asserted what the other members of the team thought of the coach while they were under his leadership. Neil explained, during an appearance on the "Cam and Strick" podcast:

"Montreal was really interested in me, so I would have been able to play against the Senators a lot, and I would have been able to throw pucks at Boucher on the bench. He didn't have control of the locker room. It was more the players who had it. We held each other accountable."

Boucher's skill as a coach enabled the Tampa Bay Lightning to reach the Eastern Conference Finals in Game 7 in 2011, and he repeated this feat with the Senators in 2017. Despite the tragic knuckle puck goal by Chris Kunitz, which got past goaltender Craig Anderson, remaining imprinted in Senators supporters' thoughts and hearts to this day, Ottawa's amazing achievement helped them come near the Finals.

Guy Boucher and Mike Van Ryn join the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs revealed their new assistant coaches for the upcoming 2023–24 season on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Guy Boucher and Mike Van Ryn, two gifted personalities, have joined the organization to serve as members of the coaching staff.

Spencer Carbery, the Leafs' former lead assistant, left his role, necessitating the hiring of new assistant coaches. Boucher and Van Ryn will now fill the void left by Carbery taking over as the head coach of the Washington Capitals. As the Maple Leafs get ready for the upcoming season, the acquisition of these seasoned coaches is anticipated to bring new ideas and skills.