The Speculation Thread Part II (Trades,rumors, etc.)

[AusDev]

I am writing him off based upon him showing me absolutely nothing in his multiple stints. I just dont think he'll ever be anything more than a fringe NHLer and to say he has a chance to be better than Kane is pure silliness IMO.

Again, two stints. One of them for all of 4 games. You make it sound like he has been given half a dozen shots without ever showing anything. He's 21 years old. I also thought he looked good at times in his first call up.

 

[Davegarri]

The thing with Boucher is he is a late bloomer, just like he was in Juniors. There's no question he has the talent, he just has to find his way, which will take time. Many people want to rush him up here because he scored 60+ goals for Sarnia two years ago. I get that, but no need to rush him as it will be detrimental to his development. We don't even need him right now as we aren't contending anyway, so why rush him? I want him down there for the rest of this year and maybe even next. If he lights it up next year like he did in January, bring him up.

Edit: He wasn't really a late bloomer in Juniors, but will be in the NHL.

 

[Oneiro]

Boucher looked like a kid who, despite the speed of the game and his relatively poor skating, still found ways to put himself in positions to score. That is more than any prospect since Henrique has shown. He is an NHL player. What kind? We'll see.

And yes, I think Merrill will be as much of an impact NHL player than Kane, if not more so. He's struggling this season and getting owned possession-wise, but his fundamental game is probably the most sound of all our young D.

And I like E. Kane. But he doesn't make us a championship team. And so I'd rather wait to see how much both Boucher and Merrill can push themselves.

 

[DenisSamson3]

I am writing him off based upon him showing me absolutely nothing in his multiple stints. I just dont think he'll ever be anything more than a fringe NHLer and to say he has a chance to be better than Kane is pure silliness IMO.

You are using the same argument that I was. Projecting in to the future based on your opinion, and comparing it to a player already established.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Again, two stints. One of them for all of 4 games. You make it sound like he has been given half a dozen shots without ever showing anything. He's 21 years old. I also thought he looked good at times in his first call up.

see, I completely disagree. he didn't show anything IMO

 

[Davegarri]

Boucher looked like a kid who, despite the speed of the game and his relatively poor skating, still found ways to put himself in positions to score. That is more than any prospect since Henrique has shown. He is an NHL player. What kind? We'll see.

And yes, I think Merrill will be as much of an impact NHL player than Kane, if not more so. He's struggling this season and getting owned possession-wise, but his fundamental game is probably the most sound of all our young D.

And I like E. Kane. But he doesn't make us a championship team. And so I'd rather wait to see how much both Boucher and Merrill can push themselves.

You're absolutely right. It doesn't make us a championship team, it doesn't make us a contender, but it will help speed up the re-tooling process we are currently in. Trading Merrill for Kane will be more beneficial than keeping Merrill because we have enough D talent to fill in that hole, but have no forward with the offensive ability of Kane's

 

[Better Call Sal]

see, I completely disagree. he didn't show anything IMO

What exactly are your expectations of him to write him off so fast?

 

[NJDevs26]

see, I completely disagree. he didn't show anything IMO

And what real chance did he get in a top six? This seems like high/low pick bias to me cause the majority of this board kills the Devils for never giving Josefson or Tedenby a chance and they've played a LOT more than Boucher.

Can we at least see him under a different coach and in an actual top nine role first before dismissing him so easily?

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Didn't Boucher have some good games with Elias? I seem to recall a post-game interview where Patrik even said he was surprised Boucher was so patient with the puck which was rare for a first time call up.

 

[Wingman77]

What exactly are your expectations of him to write him off so fast?

A 2 stint, 27 game player is being written off.....(could stop right there and it says enough but let's continue and make it even more comical)....after a numerous stint, 150 game defensemen "deserved" more stints

All ya need to know right there!

 

[Emperoreddy]

Kane is on IR retroactive now.

 

[JimEIV]

Boucher has shown nothing? I'm not sure any current Devil has more shootout goals in the last 2 years LOL...

His first game he had a point and won the game in shootout against Montreal, 3rd NHL game he nocked Staal for a loop... That was the first week of December 2013 and he had JUST turned 20 years old in September. His first 14 games he had 5 points and was a +2.

His first appearance was nothing more than a planned cup of coffee with the big club and he performed amazingly well.

That is HALF of his total NHL appearances

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

A 2 stint, 27 game player is being written off.....(could stop right there and it says enough but let's continue and make it even more comical)....after a numerous stint, 150 game defensemen "deserved" more stints

All ya need to know right there!

ZOMG I KNOW HILARIOUS RIGHT?!!?!

it would be one thing if Boucher showed me SOMETHING. show me you can snipe it, show me you can make some nice passes, show me anything.

I didn't get that impression. My apologies for not drooling over our (inferior) forward prospects like some others on here seem to do often.

and last I checked, Larsson is FLOURISHING with his new opportunity, so it seems I may have been right about that one, huh?

 

[Missionhockey]

ZOMG I KNOW HILARIOUS RIGHT?!!?!

it would be one thing if Boucher showed me SOMETHING. show me you can snipe it, show me you can make some nice passes, show me anything.

I didn't get that impression. My apologies for not drooling over our (inferior) forward prospects like some others on here seem to do often.

and last I checked, Larsson is FLOURISHING with his new opportunity, so it seems I may have been right about that one, huh?

It isn't about being right in this instance its about the hypocrisy. Why did Larsson deserve so many more opportunities than Boucher? Also, I disagree but it's already been mentioned so it's not worth bringing up again.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

It isn't about being right in this instance its about the hypocrisy. Why did Larsson deserve so many more opportunities than Boucher? Also, I disagree but it's already been mentioned so it's not worth bringing up again.

because Larsson showed that he belonged as a rookie. He put up nearly 20 points playing big minutes every night.

Boucher has not shown me anything yet in the NHL.

 

[Better Call Sal]

because Larsson showed that he belonged as a rookie. He put up nearly 20 points playing big minutes every night.

Boucher has not shown me anything yet in the NHL.

You're an avid Josefson supporter also, what has he shown to be given the truckload of opportunities he's had that Boucher shouldn't receive any in merely 27 games as a 20-21 year old?

And I like both players and want both of them to succeed, so I'm not calling anyone out here, but it's definitely hypocritical to throw Boucher out so fast.

 

[Zippy316]

because Larsson showed that he belonged as a rookie. He put up nearly 20 points playing big minutes every night.

Boucher has not shown me anything yet in the NHL.

He's still 21. This year, Boucher was noticeably bad, but the stint he was up here last year before he started playing fourth line minutes, he impressed.

Boucher seems to be in the mold of a Henrique-type player, they don't wow you at all on the ice, but they just know where to be. They get to the scoring areas and where they need to be and they produce. Just give some time before you're quick to write off Boucher.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

You're an avid Josefson supporter also, what has he shown to be given the truckload of opportunities he's had that Boucher shouldn't receive any in merely 27 games as a 20-21 year old?

And I like both players and want both of them to succeed, so I'm not calling anyone out here, but it's definitely hypocritical to throw Boucher out so fast.

Jake has at least shown that he can be a defensively responsible bottom 6 player, if anything. he has shown he has speed and can win faceoffs.

he also seems to have success in the shootout and for a team that is so awful at them, that also should bear some consideration.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Jake has at least shown that he can be a defensively responsible bottom 6 player, if anything. he has shown he has speed and can win faceoffs.

he also seems to have success in the shootout and for a team that is so awful at them, that also should bear some consideration.

Boucher did as well, did he not? And don't say that he only scored once because Jake only had 2 up until last week.

That said, clearly that's a part of Jake's game that isn't a part of Reid's. And don't we sit here all day long arguing we need talent that can score? And yet we want to throw out a prospect whose greatest skill is his scoring ability?

All I'm saying is that the exaggerations that people make on this board to throw prospects out after barely getting any time isn't very fair.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Jake has at least shown that he can be a defensively responsible bottom 6 player, if anything. he has shown he has speed and can win faceoffs.

he also seems to have success in the shootout and for a team that is so awful at them, that also should bear some consideration.

So has Boucher. Writing him off now is just short sighted and plain dumb.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Anyone remember Parise's first 30 NHL games? Pretty tough to watch. EDIT: just checked, 8 points in his first 32 games. Some people on this board wanted to trade him for Mark Bell.

Anyone writing off Boucher is foolish. His line of progression is very impressive, and he's still only 21.

 

[DenisSamson3]

I'm pretty sure Boucher scored a penalty shot goal also.

 

[Traitor Zach]

Boucher hasn't been given a more sustained opportunity because he's needed to refine his "whole" game.

We know he has a decent shot/release, but he's needed to work on his skating, passing, playing a team game.

When he was up here, he showed some Tedenby tendencies in playing defense as a forward (probably because he never had to when he was in juniors).

That said, I'm not really sold on him as a savior of our offensive woes/forward needs. But he can't be any worse than Ryder/Havlat at this point in all honesty. Hopefully he gets brought up in March and given a shot to win a job for next year.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

the whole argument started because someone said that Boucher "could be" better than Kane.

sure, and Connor Chatham COULD be the next Milan Lucic. but we all know that isnt happening.

 

[JimEIV]

Anyone remember Parise's first 30 NHL games? Pretty tough to watch.

And Parise was the same age as Boucher is right now