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MONTREAL -- Vincent Lecavalier said he feels like he's back in school.
"There's a moment like that every day," said the Tampa bay Lightning captain of the atmosphere under rookie head coach Guy Boucher.
"Just an example, a lot of coaches will go up to the board and draw up plays or explain what he wants us to do. but he'll do that, and then ask you to repeat what he just explained. It's almost like you're in school, and I've gotten the answer wrong a few times. So you really don't have any choice but to listen."
"We're trying to transmit our vision," Boucher said. "To get that vision working, you need structure. We worked hard on having that structure before the camp started, before we got the players, so now everybody sees that structure, everybody sees there's a vision."
Boucher, a graduate of McGill University, has a way of getting through to players.
"I think his greatest attribute is as a teacher," said Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban, who won a gold medal with Boucher at the 2009 world juniors and played for him last year in Hamilton of the AHL where Boucher was coach of the year. "he gives you a plan on how to get better."
Boucher's philosophy is summed up by a sign outside the Bolts dressing room in Tampa.
"Choose every day," it says. "Get Worse (then, in bigger type) stay the same (and in even bigger type) Get better."
