Minnesota Wild: 5 burning questions for 2018-19 season

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VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 9: Head coach Bruce Boudreau of the Minnesota Wild looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena March 9, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)’n /

2. How hot does Bruce Boudreau’s seat get?

Bruce Boudreau is heading into his third year behind the Minnesota bench. His regular season history speaks for itself. As do his playoff failures.

Boudreau signed a four-year deal in 2016 and one would think he is safe through at least this season. But back-to-back first round exits and a new general manager could have Minnesota looking elsewhere if things don’t go well this year.

The new general manager part is key. GMs want “their guy” behind the bench. They want someone who they talked to and who shares their vision. It’s why you see so many coaching changes within a year of a general manager change.

My guess is that Paul Fenton and Boudreau are on the same “win now” page. It’s certainly the page Boudreau was reading from after the playoffs. If Fenton decides he’s writing a different book and wants to start from scratch, a mutual split between coach and organization may benefit both parties. But if the goal is to compete for a Cup this season, Boudreau will remain the lead character behind the bench.

Now, back to the question. How hot does his seat get? On a scale of one to ten, his seat is currently around a Jaloro pepper on the Scoville Pepper Scale. For those who don’t want to use Google, that’s about a 5.5. A poor start brings the seat to a Bohemian pepper (7.5) and if they are within five games of .500 by the time 2019 rolls around, the seat will feel like a Scotch Bonnet (9).

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