Ducks extend Coach Bruce Boudreau’s contract through 2016-17

The Ducks sent a message of support to Coach Bruce Boudreau in the form of a two-year contract extension Wednesday, signing him through the 2016-17 season.

Boudreau, who joined the organization in November 2011, had one year remaining on his current deal.

The Ducks recorded a team-record 116 points last season but lost to the Kings in Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs. They also stumbled in the 2013 postseason against the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the opening round.

This is the second significant extension for the Ducks since they lost to the Kings in May. Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Bob Murray agreed to a four-year contract extension a few days after the playoff exit against the Kings.

Boudreau said that talks about his extension started around the end of May. Training camp, which starts next week, provided a push to get the extension completed.

“We wanted to get it done before the season started or before training camp started so there was nothing hanging over us and we could just focus on the season,” Boudreau said on a conference call. “I wouldn’t have wanted to talk about it during the season because it would have been a distraction, and we didn’t want that.”

Murray echoed that sentiment.

“Bruce has done a very good job over the last several years and deserves the opportunity to take this team deep into the playoffs,” he said in a statement. “We’re happy to have this contract complete before training camp, so our complete focus can be on winning hockey games.”

Said Boudreau: “It certainly means a lot. It means the Ducks organization has faith in me in leading this team and that’s important going forward, the knowledge of that.”

Now comes the challenge of the better-than-ever Western Conference, led by the reigning Stanley Cup champion Kings. The first regular-season meeting between the Kings and the Ducks will be Nov. 12 at Anaheim.

“People are expecting more from us,” Boudreau said. “We expect more from ourselves. It’s going to be an interesting preseason, going right through the whole season.”