Pre-Game Talk: World Juniors Summer 2022

[Sun God Nika]

There has been very little information released on the camp so there isn't a way to answer that question.

To your second point, it is worth noting that Tom Wilson never made the WJC roster for Canada. There are meaningful differences between Boucher and Wilson but there are also some comparable traits. Both players were drafted high based on having impressive athletic builds with incredibly high athletic potential, both players were mean and nasty, and had a reputation for violent play, and their ability to consistently throw massive hits both open ice and along the boards. Both players played a very pro game, had a lot of raw tools and skill but with underwhelming production.

If you look at Wilson's career it took him 6 seasons after being drafted to have decent production and 7 before he was a 40 point player. Boucher quite possibly will follow a similar trajectory to Wilson, which would mean that we will be looking for him be hitting 40+ points (20G, 20A) after he is 24 years old. Wilson's production has actually been steadily improving after that age. If Boucher can bring the same level of violence and intimidation to the NHL and hit similar numbers at a similar age to Wilson then he will end up being an excellent pick.

like 5-6 months after the draft I asked a NHL scout what they though of Ottawa picking Boucher @10.

His reply. "Everyone is trying to get a Tom Wilson right now."

When I asked don't you think it was high.

His reply. "Trust me, more than 1 or 2 teams were talking to this guy. The Sens wanted him, and I get it."

 

[RAFI BOMB]

I'm starting to wonder if Boucher not making the WJC roster for the summer tournament will actually be better for him. The majority of the roster is returning players so the open spots are likely for depth roles which will be given limited minutes. Sure a player could find a way to earn more ice time and get a bigger role, but the odds are that other lines are set and players who make it will be asked to play a more limited role. I also have my doubts about how Nate Leaman (USA head coach) would use a player like Boucher. I remember in the 2021 WJC thinking that Leaman wasn't really utilizing Sanderson and Kleven as effectively as he could have. In particular I thought Sanderson's performance warranted a much bigger role but Leaman seemed to rely on some of the other d men who I thought were having inferior performances to Sanderson. If Boucher made the team Leaman may have underutilized him as well.

With Boucher not making the team it gives him some extra fire in his belly. He already mentioned before that if he didn't make the team then he would come right back to Ottawa to continue to train. The WJC tournament doesn't end until August 20th so that gives him a whole other month of hard training. a month of training where he gets to continue to work with Jake Sanderson. Training back in Ottawa where newly signed and family friend of Boucher, Claude Giroux is hard working away. a Giroux who is eager to start working with the Sens players and would likely welcome Sanderson and Boucher with open arms into his August training.

On top of that a Sens core who were extremely frustrated with the starts they had to the last two seasons, that was so frustrated that they made a plan to get back to Ottawa part way through August to make sure they don't have another bad start again. But also a Sens core who saw the organization make three major additions and are now openly talking about how excited they are to start the season and can't wait for it to start. A core that Boucher will get to train directly with because he will already be in Ottawa.

So one way of looking at this:
Option A: Make the Team USA WJC 2022 roster in a more limited role with a chance to have some incredibly impressive performance.
or
Option B: Have an extra spark of motivation from not making the team, spend an extra month hard training with the Sens development coaches, Jake Sanderson and Claude Giroux, and get to spend part of the month training directly with the Sens core who are extremely motivated to have a much better start this season and incredibly excited with the new talent added to the team.

I'm thinking Option B ends up having a bigger impact on Boucher's development.

 

[SensHulk]

Boucher cut from summer WJC team, as was expected.

This was expected…?

 

[Senator Stanley]

This was expected…?

Pretty much. He was a long-shot for the 2022 roster. Like a lot of players there, this was primarily an opportunity to be evaluated for the 2023 tournament.

 

[Senator Stanley]

I'm starting to wonder if Boucher not making the WJC roster for the summer tournament will actually be better for him. The majority of the roster is returning players so the open spots are likely for depth roles which will be given limited minutes. Sure a player could find a way to earn more ice time and get a bigger role, but the odds are that other lines are set and players who make it will be asked to play a more limited role. I also have my doubts about how Nate Leaman (USA head coach) would use a player like Boucher. I remember in the 2021 WJC thinking that Leaman wasn't really utilizing Sanderson and Kleven as effectively as he could have. In particular I thought Sanderson's performance warranted a much bigger role but Leaman seemed to rely on some of the other d men who I thought were having inferior performances to Sanderson. If Boucher made the team Leaman may have underutilized him as well.

With Boucher not making the team it gives him some extra fire in his belly. He already mentioned before that if he didn't make the team then he would come right back to Ottawa to continue to train. The WJC tournament doesn't end until August 20th so that gives him a whole other month of hard training. a month of training where he gets to continue to work with Jake Sanderson. Training back in Ottawa where newly signed and family friend of Boucher, Claude Giroux is hard working away. a Giroux who is eager to start working with the Sens players and would likely welcome Sanderson and Boucher with open arms into his August training.

On top of that a Sens core who were extremely frustrated with the starts they had to the last two seasons, that was so frustrated that they made a plan to get back to Ottawa part way through August to make sure they don't have another bad start again. But also a Sens core who saw the organization make three major additions and are now openly talking about how excited they are to start the season and can't wait for it to start. A core that Boucher will get to train directly with because he will already be in Ottawa.

So one way of looking at this:
Option A: Make the Team USA WJC 2022 roster in a more limited role with a chance to have some incredibly impressive performance.
or
Option B: Have an extra spark of motivation from not making the team, spend an extra month hard training with the Sens development coaches, Jake Sanderson and Claude Giroux, and get to spend part of the month training directly with the Sens core who are extremely motivated to have a much better start this season and incredibly excited with the new talent added to the team.

I'm thinking Option B ends up having a bigger impact on Boucher's development.

I take Option A ten times out of ten.

 

[Goon42]

the blows keep coming for boucher

 

[bert]

A lot of words to say that another opportunity to prove himself has passed him by.

We should lower our expectations but also expect him to become Tom Wilson. Something doesn't add up.

Alot of meaningful words that provide accurate context to this type of players development. It was a really good post by @RAFI BOMB . Big, physical players have longer development curves. Tom Wilson literally didn't start producing until he was 24. He missed the WJC both years at 18 and 19. This team USA had already been chosen and would be Bouchers 18 year old season.... Acting like it's a big dissapointment that he didn't make the team when he already didn't on a country as deep as the US is kinda strange to me. If he makes it as a 19 year d that would be great. I don't get why we can't just be patient with the prospect, this type of player is unique and takes a while to get there.

 

[Sweatred]

the blows keep coming for boucher

He just got cut from the equivalent team that Greig was cut from … like Greig he’ll probably make his u20 team at 19 in his final year of eligibility.

Think of how worried you we’re that Greig didn’t make that team after getting drafted…

 

[dmarc]

Alot of meaningful words that provide accurate context to this type of players development. It was a really good post by @RAFI BOMB . Big, physical players have longer development curves. Tom Wilson literally didn't start producing until he was 24. He missed the WJC both years at 18 and 19. This team USA had already been chosen and would be Bouchers 18 year old season.... Acting like it's a big dissapointment that he didn't make the team when he already didn't on a country as deep as the US is kinda strange to me. If he makes it as a 19 year d that would be great. I don't get why we can't just be patient with the prospect, this type of player is unique and takes a while to get there.

Tom Wilson didn’t play in the WJC at 19 cause he made the NHL. He would have 100% been on that team.
I dont have much of an opinion on Boucher and could see the path to him having a long NHL career but I do feel like comparing him to Wilson at this point is disingenuous

 

[Philadelphia Collins]

Hot take: it’s understandable to be disappointed that your 10th overall pick didn’t make the wjc team because players drafted way after him are developing better

Lots of Tom Wilson comparables being thrown around but he was over a ppg player his d+1 year. Lets just hope Boucher can stay healthy and plays a full season of junior this season

 

[BondraTime]

There is no Wilson comparison, it’s not in the cards.

Boucher will be a player for the Sens, he’s not going to be anything like Wilson.

There are 5 forwards that were added from the December team (6 considering Aiden Thompson had a spot on the team until he got injured yesterday), or there were 5 open spots for the cut down camp. Sucks that Boucher wasn’t able to grab one of those 5 spots, but it is what it is. Gauthier never made it either (would be his 17 year old season to be fair). It’s one of the weakest WJ groups the US have had in the past 20 years for sure.

He’ll be there for the 2023 team for sure, though that team will be dominated by 18 year olds in significant roles in all likelyhood.

 

[Adrianopolous]

Boucher is a major bust

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

eh...the way the IIHF officials call games, he likely isn't a good fit for that kind of tournament.

Every hit will be a penalty or ejection from the game.

 

[BondraTime]

eh...the way the IIHF officials call games, he likely isn't a good fit for that kind of tournament.

Every hit will be a penalty or ejection from the game.

That depends, the 4th line in Canada almost always has 1 guy that plays that style of game, and pretty often is an important player.

You get some plugs like Cormier who you don’t want out there, and then some guys like Tootoo who is a huge difference maker for the team.

 

[Pinto Bean]

I'm all for complimenting a players camp and his physical attributes but none of it means anything until he starts performing in actual game action! Until then he is just a massive massive project and the player I saw in him last season was just not at the level required to make this team.

And in all honesty, in the 67's games I watched, he did get a bunch of massive hits but he certainly wasn't outcompeting his linemates or even his opponents for the puck, in scrums, etc. Brady Stonehouse seemed to be the leader in that regard.

 

[Tuna99]

Boucher cut from summer WJC team, as was expected.

Probably because he moved to Junior. You know how those Yanks play favorites with their college players

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

2022 WJC will find a way to get on without Tyler Boucher. He was a long shot to make that team and he isn't the only player worth watching. Boucher will have a another chance at the 2023 team let's hope he can get off to a good start this year. Every player invited has something that people wanted to have a look at and something that they like about the player and things they see the player has to improve on. I would not hang on those interviews too much.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Probably because he moved to Junior. You know how those Yanks play favorites with their college players

Still a couple more cuts to make . Looking forward to see how Knies does. Looking like a steal in the 2021 draft.

A lot of words to say that another opportunity to prove himself has passed him by.

We should lower our expectations but also expect him to become Tom Wilson. Something doesn't add up.

Damn Nate Leaman

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

Making or not making a WJC team isn’t nearly as important as Boucher’s production in the coming season, IMO. As others have said, he really needs to be >ppg for me to be optimistic.

 

[GCK]

He just got cut from the equivalent team that Greig was cut from … like Greig he’ll probably make his u20 team at 19 in his final year of eligibility.

Think of how worried you we’re that Greig didn’t make that team after getting drafted…

Greig didn’t get cut, he got Covid. He was on the bubble and had a decent chance of making that team.

 

[BondraTime]

Not making the 2022 team is a nothing-burger. He was never on the radar for that team when you look at guys who were added, and already there. That is disappointing for a top 10 pick for sure, but taking where he was chosen out of the equation and looking at it like a late 1st/2nd helps.

Some guys who are not NHL prospects (un-drafted 20 year old Hunter McKown was ADDED to the roster) are there, Leaman is picking guys he thinks can help right now, that in no way means they are better prospects.

Boucher will be there for the 2023 team, he should have a significant role on the 3rd/4th line with a chance to be the complimentary guy in the top 6.

 

[Micklebot]

Probably because he moved to Junior. You know how those Yanks play favorites with their college players

Whether he moved to junior or not he'd have had a hard time cracking the roster with the season he had. A strong camp only goes so far and he had about as underwhelming a season as I can remember for a top 10 pick. if I'm being honest, he hasn't done enough to deserve to be on the WJC roster so this is not at all surprising.

He should be able to turn things around this coming season and as @BondraTime pointed out will likely play on the 2023 team, he's got great tools, but until he actually translates those tools to effective play on the ice, there will continue to be a ton of questions regarding his future.

I think a realistic projection for him tops out at ~40 pts energy guy that hits a ton and wears down the opposition. There's value in that, so I can see why the team liked him. Idk if he gets there with us though. He'll need to crack the third line, and there's going to be a lot of competition with Formenton, Joseph, Greig, Ostapchuk, Sokolov, Jarventie, and Crookshank.

 

[Big Muddy]

2022 IIHF World Junior Championship Schedule | Edmonton & Red Deer, Alberta

www.hockeycanada.ca

Thanks for posting this. I'm hoping that NHL Network will televise the games (& not just Team USA). Would help with the hockey withdrawals. LOL.

 

[BondraTime]

Greig didn’t get cut, he got Covid. He was on the bubble and had a decent chance of making that team.

All of Cozens, Dach, Tomosino and Byfield would not have been loaned to the team under normal circumstances, its pretty likely Grieg is on the team in a normal season.

Comparing the two teams as though it's the same situation isn't very fair

2021 Canadian team forwards - 14 1st round picks

2022 US team forwards - 4 1st round picks, 2 2nd round picks, 3 3rd round picks, 1 4th round pick, 1 5th round pick, 2 6th round picks, 1 Un-drafted free agent, 1 2023 draft eligible

Making or not making these two different teams, from 2 different countries in 2 different years can't be compared, the talent are not even comparably similar

Boucher will be on the 2023 team and will look sharp, but using a guy not making a different team in different years as a comparable is digging for fools gold

 

[Sweatred]

Greig didn’t get cut, he got Covid. He was on the bubble and had a decent chance of making that team.

10000th time - he was invited for the experience and was NOT making the team.

Suggesting he was going to make that time is a a reach.