Former NHL coach Guy Boucher is headed back to Switzerland. (USATSI)
Former NHL coach Guy Boucher is headed back to Switzerland. (USATSI)

Former Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Guy Boucher has had a rough couple of weeks. After interviewing with multiple NHL teams regarding their head coaching vacancies, he ended up landing none of those jobs. On top of it, the guy that replaced him in Tampa, Jon Cooper, just led the team to the Stanley Cup Final.

According to multiple reports, including one from Bob McKenzie of TSN, the window for Boucher to seek NHL employment has closed. He will return to Switzerland, where he coaches HC Bern in the country's top pro league. The team afforded him time to explore his NHL opportunities, but June 1 was the deadline for him to make a decision regarding his future.

Boucher was reportedly interviewed for the Toronto Maple Leafs position and would have probably gotten the job had Mike Babcock not decided to take it. The former Lightning bench boss also was a finalist for the opening with the New Jersey Devils, according to McKenzie.

It's an unfortunate few weeks for a guy who had a pretty solid run of success in Tampa before he wore out his welcome. He did help the team reach the Eastern Conference finals in 2011, where they ultimately fell in seven games against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

It would appear that Boucher will get another crack at the NHL eventually, but it won't be until next season at the earliest. He's still quite young in coach years, after all.

The 43-year-old posted a 97-79-20 record in three seasons with the Lightning. He was replaced by Cooper after 32 games of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign.

Before joining Tampa Bay, Boucher was a rising star in the coaching ranks. He led the Drummondville Voltigeurs to the QMJHL championship in 2008-09 and had a fantastic 2009-10 season as coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.