Bruce Boudreau fired by Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks fired coach Bruce Boudreau on Friday, two days after their disappointing first-round exit from the playoffs.

Ducks general manager Bob Murray announced the decision to fire Boudreau, who hasn't been able to pair postseason success with steady excellence in his two NHL coaching jobs in Anaheim and Washington. The Ducks have lost a Game 7 on home ice in four consecutive playoff years, culminating in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Nashville in the first round.

"I just think the last four years, the way they've ended, all very similar, that I didn't think it would be a good situation to go forward in," Murray said. "In no way, shape or form is this pointing a gun at Bruce's head. Let's make that perfectly clear. But you've got to start somewhere."

Boudreau had spectacular regular-season success with the Ducks, leading them to four consecutive Pacific Division titles while going 208-104-40 in nearly five seasons in charge.

But the Ducks' last four seasons have ended in pain. Anaheim blew a 3-2 series lead in each of those seasons, including the loss to the Predators.

Anaheim was eliminated Wednesday night in a gut-wrenching 2-1 loss to Nashville in Game 7 of the first round. 

The Ducks reached the Western Conference finals last season, losing in seven games to Chicago. That was the second straight year the Ducks were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, following their 2014 loss to Los Angeles in the second round.

The team won three playoff rounds in four seasons under Boudreau, but couldn't reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Murray acknowledged no complaints about Boudreau's job performance while firing him, essentially acknowledging it's easier to fire the coach than the players.

"Regular-season success is OK," Murray said. "Making the playoffs is the most important thing, and then anything can happen."

"I just felt it wasn't going to work going forward."

'Deep breath' before re-evaluating team

Anaheim outshot the Predators 28-10 over the final two periods, but couldn't overcome two early goals.

"It's the way we went out," Murray said. "Let's face it: I'd like to know where the heck they were in Games 1 and 2. The players are going to have to answer that the next four or five days. Where were they? They showed up in Game 7, but where was that passion, the controlled emotion? Where the heck was that? They're going to have to be held accountable, too."

Murray is in no hurry to replace Boudreau, he said. The Ducks will hold organizational meetings before getting to work on what's already a busy off-season with several key supporting players up for new contracts.

"I'm going to meet the players, and then take a deep breath," Murray said.

Boudreau is the second coach to fail to coax postseason poise out of Anaheim teams led by Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, the two fixtures on Anaheim's roster since its only Stanley Cup title run in 2007. Perry didn't score a goal in the entire seven-game series against Nashville, while Getzlaf failed to inspire his teammates to success as their captain.

Randy Carlyle, who led the Ducks to the title, was fired by Murray in November 2011. Boudreau took over and immediately sparked the franchise.

Boudreau then won the next four division titles, and this season was perhaps his most impressive. Anaheim got off to a 1-7-2 start and struggled all the way to Christmas, but responded with a 34-10-5 performance after the Christmas break to steal the division title on the final day of the season.

Murray said he won't take the "C" away from Getzlaf, but the new coach will have a say about his leadership structure around Getzlaf, Perry and centre Ryan Kesler.

"There's definite concerns in that area," Murray said. "I think the core has to be held responsible, and they have to be better. Maybe I haven't been hard enough on them in the last few years, but they're going to hear some different words this time."

Murray showed patience with Boudreau and the Ducks during the start of the year. When it wasn't rewarded with postseason success, he fired Boudreau.