Boudreau confirms he's open to joining Maple Leafs: 'The idea is cool'

Bruce Boudreau is indeed intrigued by the idea of reuniting with his hometown team as an assistant coach.

The longtime NHL bench boss, who's been out of work since the Minnesota Wild fired him in February, confirmed Monday he would welcome potentially joining the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach if the club is interested in hiring him.

“I understand they’ve asked for permission but nobody’s talked to me yet,” Boudreau told The Toronto Star's Kevin McGran. “I mean, I think the idea is cool."

It was reported last week the Maple Leafs reached out to the Wild over the last few months about interviewing him for an assistant coaching role, and those close to Boudreau said he was amenable to the idea. However, the 65-year-old reportedly still had his sights set on being a head coach again, a notion he confirmed Monday.

“The biggest part of it is I just want to be involved in hockey and coaching in the NHL again next year," Boudreau said. "My goal is to become a head coach but the idea of being an assistant in Toronto is really intriguing. That’s because it’s Toronto.”

The former Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and Washington Capitals bench boss believes the current Maple Leafs squad can vie for a championship despite its lack of recent postseason success.

“Even though they haven’t had the success they’d like, I think they’re good enough that they could be a Stanley Cup contender any year,” Boudreau said. “I mean, my goal has been to win the Stanley Cup before I retire … I mean that’s very intriguing.”

Boudreau was born in Toronto and played all but seven of his 141 NHL games with the Maple Leafs from 1976-82. The club selected him in the third round of the 1975 draft after he played three years in junior with the Toronto Marlboros.

The Leafs have assistant coaching vacancies following the departures of Paul McFarland and Andrew Brewer.