Player Discussion Reid Boucher

[GetFocht]

Reid Boucher needs to do the same skating workouts as Horvat.

Boucher could potentially turn into a younger Burrows with a better shot.

 

[sting101]

Reid Boucher needs to do the same skating workouts as Horvat.

Boucher could potentially turn into a younger Burrows with a better shot.

Wishful thinking....I'd be surprised if Willie even plays him at this point.

 

[SillyRabbit]

Can someone explain why we didn't pick up Rattie?

 

[VanJack]

Reid Boucher!...The guy who broke Steven Stamkos' goal-scoring record with the Sarnia Sting with 62 in 68 games....that's hard to do...is he a Dane Fox with wheels?....I guess the Canucks pro scouting staff saw a lot of him playing with the Albany Devils....just not sure that Willie will ever use him unless there are injuries.

 

[denkiteki]

Can someone explain why we didn't pick up Rattie?

Probably because Benning likes Boucher more and we only have 1 open spot. I'm actually fine with Boucher over Rattie. Rattie has done pretty much nothing in the NHL while being good in the AHL. Boucher was basically PPG last year in the AHL and was actually decent in the NHL last year (at least in terms of production, i don't watch the Devils so no idea on his play). The fact NJD seem to still want him (by reclaiming him and trying to sneak him back to the AHL) is also a positive sign.

Of course the fact Rodin isn't even playing makes it even less likely Boucher will play. Guess its a wait and see.

 

[Verviticus]

RE: claiming Boucher instead of Rattie...

I wouldn't be at all surprised if part of the preference for Boucher came from the idea of not upsetting the apple cart with Baertschi right now.

Given Rattie's history with Baertschi back in Portland, you know there would be added pressure on Bae to help "guide" a fellow struggling prospect through the same sort of thing he's gone through over the past couple years. With how well things are rolling for Sven right now, that's not a distraction i'd even want to tinker with at this stage.

That's if Boucher isn't just the outright better claim in the first place. Which he very well may be. Though expectations for either have to be very low.

this seems like a reasonable interpretation of what benning would do, because its very bad practice. you're actually getting pretty good at interpreting our outrageously bad gm

 

[PG Canuck]

RE: claiming Boucher instead of Rattie...

I wouldn't be at all surprised if part of the preference for Boucher came from the idea of not upsetting the apple cart with Baertschi right now.

Given Rattie's history with Baertschi back in Portland, you know there would be added pressure on Bae to help "guide" a fellow struggling prospect through the same sort of thing he's gone through over the past couple years. With how well things are rolling for Sven right now, that's not a distraction i'd even want to tinker with at this stage.

That's if Boucher isn't just the outright better claim in the first place. Which he very well may be. Though expectations for either have to be very low.

I don't see how or why that would be a thing.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Can someone explain why we didn't pick up Rattie?

They either A) Didn't think he was worth a claim or B) See themselves as being overloaded with RWers or C) Didn't want to paper Gaunce down to the AHL, claim Rattie and then waive Megna + recall Gaunce to make it all work.

Their right wing depth is: Hansen, Eriksson, Burrows, Skille, Megna, Rodin and an injured Dorsett... Oh, and Virtanen down in Utica. 8 players for 4 spots.

Probably because Benning likes Boucher more and we only have 1 open spot. I'm actually fine with Boucher over Rattie. Rattie has done pretty much nothing in the NHL while being good in the AHL. Boucher was basically PPG last year in the AHL and was actually decent in the NHL last year (at least in terms of production, i don't watch the Devils so no idea on his play). The fact NJD seem to still want him (by reclaiming him and trying to sneak him back to the AHL) is also a positive sign.

Of course the fact Rodin isn't even playing makes it even less likely Boucher will play. Guess its a wait and see.

Boucher has a higher chance of playing because he's more of a LWer. Rodin is a RWer. Not all wingers can switch wings sides with ease.

Rodin has to beat Megna or Skille to play, not Granlund or Chaput. If it was the latter, then he would already be playing IMO... Granlund has been that bad.

I can understand Skille keeping his spot over Rodin, but how Megna is staying in the line-up over him is beyond me.

Boucher should be giving Granlund or Chaput a rest as soon as he gets here, IMO.

 

[Jabba The Hutton]

Lol..... one more and this is a "classic 2016-17 Canucks" situation.

 

[J Canuck]

Lend the guy some stuff.

 

[vancityluongo]

Lend the guy some stuff.

How dare you say that?

A guy's stuff is sacred. You just can't borrow someone else's stuff.

 

[Nucker101]

Lol..... one more and this is a "classic 2016-17 Canucks" situation.

man


At this point, I would be more surprised if a newly acquired/recalled player actually arrived in time with all of his stuff.

 

[TheWanderer]

Lend the guy some stuff.

Send Virtanen to go get his stuff.

 

[RobertKron]

****. Now they're gonna have to trade him to the sharks so he can go get it.

 

[biturbo19]

this seems like a reasonable interpretation of what benning would do, because its very bad practice. you're actually getting pretty good at interpreting our outrageously bad gm

Would it really be very bad practice?

We're not talking about passing up some quality asset for this reason. We're talking about sifting between what is at most, a marginal difference between two waiver fodder fringe guys extremely unlikely to amount to anything. If Rattie is even the better claim at all - which is entirely debatable.

Meanwhile, Baertschi is in a groove where he's performing like a highly valuable asset. Is the marginal difference from Rattie to Boucher really worth the risk of upsetting what Bae has going? However slight you may personally assess that risk to be?


We've seen how streaky Baertschi can be, and how much "confidence" can play into how successful he is. He can turn into a Pumkin even. I'd definitely err on the side of caution toward protecting that valuable asset from unnecessary distraction over some marginal at best difference between two throwaway fringe pieces.


But maybe i forgot hockey is a spreadsheet. Players aren't people. Mental state isn't a thing.

 

[JA]

Boucher was on pace for 16 goals, 40 points last season with New Jersey at the age of 22, and is a point-per-game player in the AHL.

He certainly appears to have potential as a scorer. He is only 23 years old, so he is effectively a free prospect. Despite being 5'10'', he is quite stocky -- 195 lbs.

There is very little risk to seeing what he is capable of. Granted, I haven't paid much attention to this player, but there is no cost here to adding another prospect.

 

[MS]

The report that he has an ongoing hip flexor issue is troubling. And probably explains his struggles this year.

This sort of thing generally has a large negative impact on players and it's difficult to envision him having the breakthrough needed to be an asset here if he's being hindered by that type of injury.

 

[RobertKron]

The report that he has an ongoing hip flexor issue is troubling. And probably explains his struggles this year.

This sort of thing generally has a large negative impact on players and it's difficult to envision him having the breakthrough needed to be an asset here if he's being hindered by that type of injury.

Worst case he sits in the press box, and they can finally send someone down to help the comets.

There might have been players more ideal previously or whatever, but at this point in time there's not much bad with this. It's also encouraging that the Devils wanted him back like they did.

 

[lousy]

Can someone explain why we didn't pick up Rattie?

Can you explain why Rattie is the better option?

 

[Paulinvancouver]

Can someone explain why we didn't pick up Rattie?

1. If they put in for rattie and not Boucher and someone else took him, they'd get nothing.

2. If they put in claims for both, they better be prepared to take on both.

3. boucher had been passed around a bit so more likely they could have got him.

4. Rattie is better suited for top 6, Boucher better for bottom 6. Boucher has a better chance of staying with the team in that role, and thus better chance to stay in the NHL. they took the safer pick.

 

[me2]

Can you explain why Rattie is the better option?

Because he has Rat in his name.

 

[lousy]

Because he has Rat in his name.

Can't argue with that

 

[Red]

The hip flexor sucks as in it's certainly going to impede his ability to be an everyday player for us but it also makes him the ideal 13th forward that you can play when he's had time off and he'll probably be better for it. For the love of God, send Megna down, play Rodin, and have Boucher waiting in the wings.

 

[RobertKron]

Because he has Rat in his name.

Too soon after everything Baertschi's cat has been through.

 

[Emperoreddy]

He is a slow skater, and isn't very good off the puck. Nice shot and a decent pass, but you kind of have to cater him offensively. In an ideal world he could pot 30 with the right center feeding him.