Bruce Boudreau might look a little different when he arrives in his old stomping grounds this weekend.
"I'm growing a beard so they won't recognize me," the Minnesota Wild head coach quipped Wednesday when asked about making his return to Anaheim on Sunday.
Boudreau coached the Ducks from 2011-16, qualifying for the playoffs in four of the five seasons but failing to make it past the Conference Final.
Anaheim lost that series to the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games back in 2014-15, and fell in seven games to the Nashville Predators in the first round last spring. Both defeats came on home ice, and Boudreau lost four straight Game 7s at Honda Center.
What a difference a change of scenery can make, though. Boudreau has rejuvenated the Wild, who sit one point back of the first-place Blackhawks in the Central Division after reeling off a 12-game win streak that was snapped Saturday by the scorching hot Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Wild rank fourth in the NHL in goals for per game (3.11), and second in goals allowed per contest (2.06).
Boudreau was hired by Minnesota last May.
He also coached the Washington Capitals for parts of five seasons from 2007-08 to 2011-12.
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