Prospect Info: CHL, NCAA & European Prospects Thread

[HenriquesJawLine]

The line on him was that he had a laser of a shot, but needed a lot of work in all other aspects of his game (skating, physicality, defense, consistency). It seems like he's starting to pull it together.

Damn nice. I'll be rooting for him, seems like our top prospects are all d-men besides Matteau so this is good to see

 

[PensFan6687]

Reid Boucher has been compared to a poor man's Brett Hull. Both known for their strong and accurate wrist shots. Neither are fast, but they aren't slow. Built like smaller tanks. Lower center of gravity. Hard to take down. Good at finding openings. The pleasant thing about Boucher is the fact he has been scoring at an enormous clip lately, 14 goals in his past 12. What's remarkable, other than averaging over a goal-per-game pace over the past dozen of games? Doing it without Alex Galchenyuk!

Kid is my favourite prospect in the system, and I own Jon Merrill in my fantasy league. I love Jon, but missing over a year in development is going to put him back a bit, like it did with Cody Hodgson. I believe Cody would be even better than he is today if it weren't for his hiccups. But Merrill should still be a solid top 4 option on the back end for you guys, I just liken Reid more as your top guy. He's not a fancy or sexy pick, even if he plays like one. Alas, he's my favourite.

 

[zharkenby]

If anyone finds the highlights of the Sarnia game, can you please post them

 

[Saugus]

Boucher is kicking ass and taking names. Very nice.

 

[Team Concept]

Here is another great thing about Boucher. He was born on Sept. 8, 1993. Which means that when he was drafted in June of 2011 he was still only 17 years old. He just made the cutoff which is Sept. 15th. So he is not putting up these great numbers not as a 20 year old, but as a 19 year old. Lets cross our fingers that we have a true NHL sniper on our hands. The next Pat Verbeek (522 goals).

 

[battlingBard56]

That would be so awesome if Boucher turned into a guy like that for us. Let's hope he keeps improving. =]

 

[Classic Devil]

Here is another great thing about Boucher. He was born on Sept. 8, 1993. Which means that when he was drafted in June of 2011 he was still only 17 years old. He just made the cutoff which is Sept. 15th. So he is not putting up these great numbers not as a 20 year old, but as a 19 year old. Lets cross our fingers that we have a true NHL sniper on our hands. The next Pat Verbeek (522 goals).

It is very important to keep how young he is in mind.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

That would be so awesome if Boucher turned into a guy like that for us. Let's hope he keeps improving. =]

We're due to luck out like this

 

[Mgd31]

Why wasn't Boucher eligible to attend training camp? Or was he and just not invited?

 

[Belizarius]

Why wasn't Boucher eligible to attend training camp? Or was he and just not invited?

Wasn't eligible I think.
I believe all team could submit up to 2 junior players who could be called up if a CBA was signed.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

His shot is really something else . . . 35G in 43GP is incredible at that level.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Wasn't eligible I think.
I believe all team could submit up to 2 junior players who could be called up if a CBA was signed.

Any junior players had to be on the list before the lockout started. I don't think Lou thought that Boucher would even be worthy of an invite by this point.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Reid Boucher has been compared to a poor man's Brett Hull. Both known for their strong and accurate wrist shots. Neither are fast, but they aren't slow. Built like smaller tanks. Lower center of gravity. Hard to take down. Good at finding openings.

He definitely has Hull's release. I can't remember the last time I saw a prospect with such a quick and heavy release outside of Yakupov and Ovechkin. And he has shown the ability to find open ice. But I don't see him having Hull's hockey IQ with the puck on his stick. That was one of the real underrated things about Hull's game - the guy had incredible vision and awareness. Boucher's not bad in this area but this is where Hull really outclasses him IMO.

That said - I really do expect Boucher to be a consistent 25g+ 45p+ player at the NHL level. I can imagine Josefson setting up him and Matteau in the future. Would make for a nice 2nd line in a few years, behind Zajac Kovy and Tedenby (hopefully).

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Reid appreciates the positive comments.

 

[Classic Devil]

He definitely has Hull's release. I can't remember the last time I saw a prospect with such a quick and heavy release outside of Yakupov and Ovechkin. And he has shown the ability to find open ice. But I don't see him having Hull's hockey IQ with the puck on his stick. That was one of the real underrated things about Hull's game - the guy had incredible vision and awareness. Boucher's not bad in this area but this is where Hull really outclasses him IMO.

That said - I really do expect Boucher to be a consistent 25g+ 45p+ player at the NHL level. I can imagine Josefson setting up him and Matteau in the future. Would make for a nice 2nd line in a few years, behind Zajac Kovy and Tedenby (hopefully).

To be fair, any comparison to Hull is a massive compliment.

(I think Boucher has the best shot of any 19 year old I've ever watched, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to be a good NHLer. On the other hand, he's so far doing everything right.)

 

[FirmestPiano]

http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/video/index/id/dd82c176533d22d880afa82c4610cf6c

Boucher goals. Don't know what the camera man was up to, could hardly see what happened on two of the goals.

Highlights from Windsor-Sarnia, Jan 4.

Johnson had a hattrick, Boucher a goal and two assist. First assist was pretty.

http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/video/index/id/c935be7ce056da3e5d647f9e24759d08

 

[Devils Trap]

http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/video/index/id/dd82c176533d22d880afa82c4610cf6c

Boucher goals. Don't know what the camera man was up to, could hardly see what happened on two of the goals.

Love his hatrick goal. The one knee one timer. NHL 13 Style

 

[Getzo5]

Love his hatrick goal. The one knee one timer. NHL 13 Style

Matt Moulson style. Would love if he became a similar player (25+ goal scorer) for us.

 

[battlingBard56]

Love his hatrick goal. The one knee one timer. NHL 13 Style

That goal was a beauty but the fourth one my eyes popped out. The camera guy did a poor job capturing Boucher actually shooting the puck but you could see the puck hit the back of the net. Only... you only saw the puck when it was in the net. I couldn't see the pucks path at all!

I have only seen goals scored like that when Kovalchuk dings the inside of the crossbar; when you don't even know a goal was scored until you hear that sound.

 

[Saugus]

Hull's greatest talent was being able to disappear in traffic and then suddenly pop up in the dead areas of the ice for a quick shot. If Boucher can do that, he'll be successful.

 

[GM17*]

Hull's greatest talent was being able to disappear in traffic and then suddenly pop up in the dead areas of the ice for a quick shot. If Boucher can do that, he'll be successful.

Reminds me of Dany Heatley too

 

[Devils731]

What I like in those Boucher highlights is that he's by the crease in a few of them. Some guys with good shots don't want to go into an area where you might get punished, but guys hungry for goals will go there whenever the space is available.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/video/index/id/dd82c176533d22d880afa82c4610cf6c

Boucher goals. Don't know what the camera man was up to, could hardly see what happened on two of the goals.

Geez I couldn't see what was happening on half those goals, terrible camera work. Then again it is major junior.

 

[Getzo5]

Reminds me of Dany Heatley too

You know that`s actually a better comparison IMO.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

I knew Boucher was having a great season but didn't realize he was actually leading not just the OHL in goals, but the entire CHL. Extremely impressive espcecially for a guy who would have been drafted in 2012 instead of 2011, if he was born just a week later. Can't wait to see him in the AHL next year. Has potential to be our biggest draft steal since Adam Henrique.