Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Enter Search Term. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search.
Canucks Community

Canucks Claim Reid Boucher Off Waivers

Bur14Kes17

By Bur14Kes17
in Canucks Talk

Recommended Posts

Gaudette Celly Canucks Hall-of-Famer

Gaudette Celly

Posted
Posted

Interesting comments on his development here, albeit now 3 years ago:

 

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2014/02/devils_how_offseason_hockey_trainer_helped_turn_reid_boucher_into_big_prospect.html


 

Quote

 

The Albany Devils, American Hockey League affiliate for the New Jersey Devils, played a home game in Atlantic City last weekend, and NJ.com was there to conduct interviews for a series of articles this week on Devils' prospects.

 

ATLANTIC CITY - Albany Devils left wing Reid Boucher had a couple of days off last week for the AHL All-Star break, so the 20-year-old left wing headed home to Lansing, Mich., to see family.

 

Naturally, Boucher paid a visit to Suburban Ice rink on Michigan State's campus in East Lansing to see his offseason trainer Brad Fast and get in a workout at Elevation Hockey.

 

And naturally, a crowd of kids that were there moved in to watch Boucher on a synthetic firing wrist shots at the RapidShot machine, which is a 21st century hockey version of a driving range for golfers. As always, Boucher put on a show with speed and accuracy when the hundred pucks were fed one after another and red lights went on to indicate which corner of the net to shoot at.

 

Fast still has a vivid memory of the first time he saw Boucher shoot a puck in the spring of 2012.

 

Boucher had just finished the first of his two junior seasons for the OHL's Sarnia Sting and stopped in for an agent-arranged first workout with Fast a few days before he would make his pro debut in the 2011-12 A-Devils' season finale.

 

"I'd never met Reid, but living in this area, everyone would talk about him because he was such a prolific scorer at all levels," Fast said in a phone interview. "So we hopped on the ice, and when I first saw his shot I thought, 'I've played all over and never played with anyone who can shoot like that.' When he took it, I was like, 'Holy smokes! OK, well, we'll see if he can do it again.' I put him in the same spot again and he did the same exact thing.

 

"I saw real quick what everybody was talking about. There hasn't been anybody who's come in here who can shoot harder than Reid, that's for sure."

 

That was the start of a working relationship and friendship that helped turn Boucher, a 2011 fourth-round draft pick, into a top prospect.

 

They began working on Boucher's skating during the summer of 2012, then that fall he returned to the OHL and broke Steven Stamkos' Sarnia single-season record with 62 goals. They were together all last summer, too, and more progress helped Boucher get to the NHL for the first time this season for an extended stint with the Devils that ended last month because he wasn't scoring enough.

 

Now back in Albany, Boucher still is having problems finding the net and his spirits have been down a little. He's hoping his visit with Fast last week will help end his slump and put him on a path for a return trip to the big Devils.

 

"When you score 62 goals at any level, you can score, but he's struggling for us right now," Albany coach Rick Kowalsky said. "He got off to a good start, went up to New Jersey and played well despite not scoring many goals, and now he's come back and fighting it a little bit. He's scored a goal or two since he's been back, but he hasn't gotten back to the form where he was."

 

Boucher is hard on himself. He's a natural scorer with great hands and, as noted, a terrific shot. But the 5-foot-11, 195 pounder also a perfectionist who feels his foot speed is still an issue.

 

"Skating is probably the weakest part of my game," Boucher said. "We've actually made a lot of progress. It may not look like it."

 

Fast laughed when he was told Boucher still feels this way.

 

"He's improved a tremendous amount," Fast said. "I think his skating is hardly noticeable out there at all being a detriment to his game. When he's talking about that, it's because he's a competitive athlete who wants every single edge he can get."

 

Fast, who turns 34 later this week, knows what he's talking about. In his playing days, the British Columbia native was a smooth-skating defensive defenseman who was a four-year star at Michigan State, a perennial college hockey power. He also made a little history in his one and only NHL game. Playing for the Carolina Hurricanes in their 2003-04 season finale, Fast scored a tying goal with 2:26 to go in the third period against Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, and the game ended up being the last tie in the NHL, which added shootouts the following season.

 

Fast ended up playing professionally in the AHL, ECHL and abroad in Switzerland, Germany and Asia before retiring after the 2011-12 season to become a hockey trainer at Elevation Hockey. He has clients of all ages, including Carolina defenseman John-Michigan Miles and Boston Bruins rookie defenseman Torey Krug, both Michigan State alums.

 

Fast says no one ever outworks Boucher, who made big strides working three days a week the last two offseasons on a skating treadmill.

 

"The machine goes 20 mph and he can go 20 mph," Fast said. "Depending on the session, we go anywhere from 25 minutes up until an hour. It's like a hockey game, maybe you do 30 seconds on and 90 seconds off.

 

"This improved Reid's quickness, his smoothness, his stability. I noticed that he's a lot more sure-footed now when I'm seeing him out on the ice, to the point where if you're looking to put a knock on his skating, you have to really look."

 

Kowalsky feels Boucher definitely has what it takes to become a very productive NHL player.

 

"There's no question Bouch has an NHL shot,” Kowalsky said. "He knows where he's going to put it. What I like about him, and what I see about guys who don't last in the American League long, is his ability to find that quiet ice off the rush. He's got just enough ice, then he's got that quick release. If he gets that puck, it's on and off his stick before anybody knows the play's made."

 

Boucher impressed the big Devils when he was playing NHL games for them from Dec. 4 to Jan. 21. He generated enough quality scoring chances to twice be elevated to the top line, yet he managed just two goals and seven points in his 23 games. After scoring his first goal, Boucher's game was compared to 500-goal scorer Mark Recchi by Devils coach Pete DeBoer. After he was demoted, DeBoer fired off a few more compliments.

 

"It's very comforting in a way that they do believe in me," Boucher said.

 

But before returning to the NHL, he needs to start scoring again regularly. His 12 goals and 24 points in 32 AHL games are pretty decent numbers, but most of the production came during his first Albany stint.

 

Since returning to the AHL, Boucher has just two goals, five points and is a minus-6 in 11 games. When starting the season in Albany, he earned his way to the NHL with 10 goals, 18 points and a plus-4 in 21 games.

 

His shots are down since returning, too: He averaged 3.3 per game during his first AHL stint and he's at 2.3 in his second.

 

"I told him he didn't score 62 goals last year being a playmaker," Kowalsky said. "I think sometimes he overthinks things and loses confidence shooting the puck. He's gotten away a little bit from what made him successful with us. I think the reason he got the (NHL) recall is because of his compete level.

 

"Something that impressed me before he went to New Jersey was his willingness to battle and get to those hard areas. He's got some snarl in his game, and when he plays that way, he seems to get to more pucks. It's like anything else, if you do the little things the rest will take care of itself."

 

Boucher acknowledges that he needs to get back to playing that brand of hockey more often, and he did get a dirty goal in front of the net last Friday night when the Devils lost 3-2 to Hershey in a shootout at AC's Boardwalk Hall.

 

"When things aren't going the way you want, you tend to change things around to see if that works," Boucher said. "The key for me is to get back to the strengths of my game, which is my compete level, my feistiness in the corners and getting to scoring areas. And when I do get scoring chances, I've got to start finishing them."

It's only a matter of time, Albany captain Rod Pelley predicted.

 

"You're talking about a guy who's probably going to be an NHLer for a long time," Pelley said. "Bouch is hard on himself when he's not scoring, but he just has a nose for the net and the kid's got a wicked shot."

 

Boucher is trying to be patient, but it's not easy. He tasted life in the NHL and left feeling he can be successful there.

 

"Well, it definitely is a blessing that I did get on the radar," he said. "I had an unbelievable year last year and I got a chance to play at the NHL level this season. I was very thankful to get the chance that I got. I'm capable of scoring goals there. I know that. Hopefully I'll be back up soon."

 

 

He's 23 and sounds quite a bit like Teemu Pulkkinen -- great shot, natural goalscorer, some skating issues, a bit undersized.  But he also fits the Benning mold of a high motor and compete level.  Perhaps that's the difference where JB decided to pull the trigger this time.  Nothing to lose really, and getting Gaunce back to help Utica is a double-win.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alflives Canucks Hall-of-Famer

Alflives

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, S'all Good Man said:

 

Sure but remember he was a 1st round pick... he's pretty hard to notice a lot of nights too so I suspect thats the issue here. Anyway its a free player to try out. 

I think it was @oldnews who posted a complex Corsi chart, and it had Gaunce as our second best Corsi guy.  Maybe there is more going on here than just sending Gaunce down?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
canuckledraggin Canucks Third-Line

canuckledraggin

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

I actually wonder if they view him as an upgrade on Megna (who would likely clear waivers)? If not, yeah, it likely spells Utica for Gaunce.

I really can't see them waiving Megna and replacing him with the exact same player in Boucher. Stranger things have happened I guess. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SabreFan1 Canucks All-Star

SabreFan1

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, Type R said:

 

Point is, there are multiple teams interested in having him, whats the point of claiming him, only to try and send him down and lose him. 

 

In other news, heres a decent little play he made the other night:

 

Boucher goal on Minnesota

 

He's free.  All it takes is an open contract spot.  There's no reason not to take the chance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
aGENT Canucks Hall-of-Famer

aGENT

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, canuckledraggin said:

I really can't see them waiving Megna and replacing him with the exact same player in Boucher. Stranger things have happened I guess. 

I'd say he's got more offensive upside than Megna which could fit well with the Sedins... Who knows, we might have picked him up to play Burrows slot beside Horvat if he's out for a while too? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JM_ Canucks Hall-of-Famer

JM_

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Alflives said:

I think it was @oldnews who posted a complex Corsi chart, and it had Gaunce as our second best Corsi guy.  Maybe there is more going on here than just sending Gaunce down?  

 

I suppose I'd say to @oldnewswhat good is that if he's invisible on the score sheet and isn't living up to his 1st round draft hopes? To me he's been a pretty big disappointment and his scoring stats are pretty underwhelming, even with good possession. 

 

I suppose there could be some part of a deal in the works but I can't imagine he's a big part of it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JM_ Canucks Hall-of-Famer

JM_

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

 

 

 

Thats an interesting report - actually the  things he needs to work on are the same areas Baer needed to improve, and has under the coaching staff so maybe they see a way to get a good reclamation project going here. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alflives Canucks Hall-of-Famer

Alflives

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, S'all Good Man said:

 

I suppose I'd say to @oldnewswhat good is that if he's invisible on the score sheet and isn't living up to his 1st round draft hopes? To me he's been a pretty big disappointment and his scoring stats are pretty underwhelming, even with good possession. 

 

I suppose there could be some part of a deal in the works but I can't imagine he's a big part of it. 

It's more fun to speculate there is a BIGGER deal coming though:)

 

Arizona loves Corsi guys, don't they?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jägermeister Canucks Star

Jägermeister

Posted
Posted

He's better than Rattie.  Much like Rattie he can score, but he's actually proven he can do it in the NHL, put up 19 points in 39 games last year.

Problem for him has always been what he is doing when he isn't scoring, which is usually not a lot.

Worth a shot, but if he's playing limited minutes on the 4th line he likely won't be much of a factor.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JM_ Canucks Hall-of-Famer

JM_

Posted
Posted
Just now, Alflives said:

It's more fun to speculate there is a BIGGER deal coming though:)

 

Arizona loves Corsi guys, don't they?  

 

:lol: yah for sure. I heard their next GM is having some problems in gym class right now. I'm sure it will all work out tho, who needs experience when you've got a calculator?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...