VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Bruce Boudreau will return as coach of the Vancouver Canucks next season after helping to turn the struggling NHL club around as a midyear replacement. Boudreau took over behind the bench on Dec. 5, after the Canucks cleaned house following a disastrous 8-15-2 start, resulting in the dismissal of head coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning. Boudreau’s hiring made an immediate impact as he became just the third coach in NHL history to win his first seven games with a new team. The Canucks went 32-15-10 the remainder of the season and went from last place in the Pacific Division to finish five points out of a playoff berth.
