The Senators have turned to Guy Boucher to get them back to the playoffs.

Less than 24 hours after former Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau headed for the Minnesota Wild Saturday night, the Senators signed Boucher to a three-year deal to replace Dave Cameron, who was fired at the end of the season.

While the former Tampa Bay Lightning coach won’t appear at a news conference until Monday afternoon at the Canadian Tire Centre, it wasn’t a major surprise that Boucher was chosen to take over the Senators after an exhaustive three-week search by general manager Pierre Dorion that included interviewing as many as nine potential candidates.

It’s believed one of those candidates — former Dallas Stars coach Marc Crawford — is weighing an offer to be on Boucher’s staff. Crawford, 55, who had an impressive interview with the Senators, is likely trying to find out if he has any shot at head coaching openings in Calgary and Anaheim.

Boucher spent last year in Switzerland but was let go from Bern in early November because he was determined to see if he could get back to the NHL. The decision paid off because the Wild had also contacted him before signing Boudreau to a four-year deal.

Though the Senators had shown interest in Boudreau and had done their due diligence by talking contract with his camp, Boucher was at the top of their list of candidates. The belief is that in his first interview he gave an extensive rundown on exactly what he felt about the team and the areas where improvements had to be made.

“Over the past three weeks, Pierre Dorion and our hockey operations staff have undertaken a thorough and comprehensive search for our next head coach. Following a detailed evaluation of all coaching candidates, there was overwhelming consensus that Guy was our top candidate,” said Senators owner Eugene Melnyk in a statement. “We wanted a great coach and this process yielded our top pick. I couldn’t be happier.”

Those who know Boucher like what he brings to the table.

Not only does his style demand a commitment to defence — something this team so badly needs — the hope is he’ll bring structure. Those who know Boucher like him because he’s passionate, he’s got drive and he’s going to bring the kind of approach this team has to have if it’s going to get back to the playoffs next season.

“Guy is a really good person, and he’s passionate about the game and what he believes in and how he believes his team should play,” Montreal Canadiens assistant Daniel Lacroix, who spent four seasons working on Boucher’s staff in Hamilton (AHL) and Tampa, told Postmedia in a telephone interview Sunday.

“When he’s around, you feel it right away. From my first meeting with him, he had a vision and a lot of things were in sync with what I thought at the time. It was fresh, he believes in bringing a team together through work ethic — and obviously systems are a big part — but also with the enthusiasm within the team by building a strong connection with the players.”

One of the words most frequently used to describe Boucher is intensity.

“It’s healthy intensity,” Lacroix said. “When you say intensity, I would respond with passion. It’s the mix of passion and intensity but I think, first and foremost, he’s passionate about what he believes in, and passionate about communicating that with his players and the people around him.

“I never saw it as (negative). ... He is intense, he’s got those eyes behind the bench and he looks intense, but I saw it more as a passionate hockey coach. All coaches are passionate. Some hide it better than others and some don’t give a crap about hiding it. He is who he is but he’s passionate about the game, about his team and that’s why he’s a good coach.”

Last year, Boucher was only minutes away from being named the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he had the job until Mike Babcock picked up the phone to accept the club’s offer.

His biggest challenge in Ottawa will be to get the team to play with structure, and he’s got to get everybody to buy in, especially captain Erik Karlsson.

Boucher has his work cut out for him here, and this is going to be a big challenge, but the belief is that after his hiatus from the league he’s refreshed, ready and humbled for what’s a big job ahead.

Those who know him are happy to see him return.

“I’m glad to see him back. I’m not glad to see him this close,” the Canadiens' Lacroix said jokingly. “I know he’s a good coach. He’s certainly deserving of this opportunity.”