Boudreau confident he can turn around IceDogs
Ben Boudreau intends to coach the Niagara IceDogs his way and for a very long time.
The 39-year-old St. Catharines native plans to put his stamp on the team after being named head coach following the dismissal of head coach Ryan Kuwabara Friday following a 3-7-4-1 start.
Boudreau’s first game behind the bench was in a 5-3 loss at Brantford Friday before making his home debut Saturday in a 5-4 loss to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Boudreau, who joined the team in the off-season as an associate coach, left no doubt when asked if he has plans to change the way things were run under Kuwabara.
“Everything,” Boudreau said. “I want to do it my way. As far as the coaching that’s what I believe, you have to trust the people around you, but as far as systematic Xs and Os, there is a lot of changes I want to put into place.”
Boudreau, who is the third full-time head coach of the team since the beginning of last season, feels the organization needs stability going forward.
“I think one of Darren’s (owner Darren DeDobbelaer) messages has been loud and clear. Their intention is to make sure within a two to three-year span we’re a force to be reckoned with and knowing that you’re going to be here for two to three years at the very minimum, and I plan on being here a lot longer than that.
“For the kids, for the community, for the businesses, for the coach, for everybody involved, it’s good to know there is some stability there and that’s been a promise Darren has made to me.”
Boudreau admitted taking over a team in during the season is hardly ideal.
“It’s not easy,” he said. “I’ve been through it a couple of times before. I’ve been a part of the in-season change and there’s only one thing and that’s the mentality of what’s the next step, how do you move forward?
“We all love Kooey. He’s a great human being and it’s Darren’s prerogative to make that choice and he’s given me an opportunity on a long-term deal here to set my place and put a plan in place to win. I do believe we have a good team and do think the playoffs are within reach. I don’t want speak on Darren’s behalf but he felt like the change was needed and I’m more than happy to step in and put my mark on it.”
Boudreau spent the last four years coaching the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL where he compiled a regular season record of 134-96-19-8 while leading the Komets to a Kelly Cup Championship in 2021.
He has deep ties to the local hockey community, playing junior B for the St. Catharines Falcons and helping his father, former NHL coach and player Bruce Boudreau, run their Golden Horseshoe Hockey School each summer.
“I look forward to growing roots here,” he said. “It’s been almost two decades since I have been gone but I’ve never been more excited to be back in my hometown and the feeling I’m having right now, I don’t think that’s something I can go anywhere else and get.”
He cherished his first game behind the bench at home.
“I really enjoyed the moment. There were a lot of little things that went into it. I’m talking about the feeling of leaving my own home and then pulling up and seeing the skyline of downtown Toronto and you kind of pinch yourself. I was young at 23 and I went to carve a name out for myself in professional hockey ranks and I came back as a champion. It’s something I’m extremely proud of.”
Boudreau is convinced he can help turn the IceDogs into a winning organization.
“There is nobody that wants to turn this thing around more than me, not because of the credentials or to take the credit, but because this city deserves it. This organization was a great organization and I want to make sure I do my part in getting it back there.
“I’m an extremely proud person. It’s going to be a lot of work and I believe I’m the man for the job and patience will go a long way, but we’ll get there.”
The IceDogs nearly gave Boudreau his first win, but the Greyhounds broke a 4-4 tie with only 10 seconds remains to claim the win.
“To get off to a start like that and play shorthanded the way we did, we started with nine (forwards) and five (defence),” Boudreau said. “We’ve lost five players but we didn’t make excuses. We took a good team all the way down to the end.
“It was a perfect storm. Any other guy could make excuses. We tried to put a team together and play to our identity and we found a way to get the most out of every single person.”
Ice cubes: Alex Assadourian, Ethan Czata, Ryan Roobroeck, Ryan Humphrey, Andrew Wycisk and Mathieu Paris did not dress for the IceDogs . . . Brodie McConnell-Barker, Brenden Sirizzotti and Brady Martin were scratched for the Greyhounds.
STATS PACK
Greyhounds 5 IceDogs 4
Niagara’s Ivan Galiyanov and SSM’s Connor Clattenburg.
Niagara IceDogs: Evan Klein 2 (2, 3); Kevin He (7); Ilya Galiyanov (2).
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds: Connor Clattenburg 2 (2,3); Arttu Karki (14); Owen Allard (6); Julian Fantino (4).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara on Landon Miller (24), by SSM on Marcus Vandenburg/Owen Flores (36); Power plays: Niagara 0/2, SSM 1/3; Penalty minutes: Niagara 8, SSM 6.
Attendance: 4,014.
Next up: The IceDogs are home against Barrie Thursday, in Guelph Friday and back home Saturday versus Saginaw for the Teddy Bear Toss.
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