Johnny Boychuk
Encyclopedia
John Paul Boychuk is a professional ice hockey
defenceman
currently playing for the Boston Bruins
of the National Hockey League (NHL)
. He was a member of the Bruins' Stanley Cup Championship
team in 2011.
by the Colorado Avalanche
. Prior to being drafted Boychuk was a product of the WHL
Calgary Hitmen
. Boychuk made his professional debut with the Hershey Bears
in the 2004–05
season.
Boychuk spent the next four years in the Avalanche organization playing primarily for their AHL affiliations. Boychuk made his NHL debut in the 2007–08 season on the January 5, 2008 against the New York Islanders. Boychuk, a defenceman, made his debut as a forward playing on the wing.
On June 24, 2008, Boychuk was traded to the Boston Bruins
in exchange for Matt Hendricks
. Boychuk was assigned to the Providence Bruins to start the 2008–09
season and in his first week was named "AHL Player of the Week". On December 1, 2008, Boychuk was recalled to Boston and made his Bruins debut in a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 4, 2008. Boychuk was then returned to Providence for the rest of the season where he enjoyed a breakout season, capturing the Eddie Shore Award
by leading the league with 20 goals and 45 assists among defenceman and being named in the AHL's First All-Star Team.
On July 1, 2009, Boychuk secured his first one-way contract when he re-signed with the Bruins for the 2009–10 season.
As a member of the Bruins when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks
to win the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals
, he was involved in a controversial play that resulted in Mason Raymond
sustaining a vertebrae compression fracture
twenty second
s into Game 6 on June 13. Raymond had been shoved backwards into the boards by Boychuk with the latter's stick
caught between the former's leg
s. The injury forced Raymond to miss the remainder of the series and the start of the following season. Boychuk was neither penalized on the play nor punished with a fine or suspension. Critical of the lack of any action taken against Boychuk, Canucks president
Mike Gillis
said, "I didn't see the puck around him. I thought the Boston player used a can opener and drove him with enough force into the board to break his back." Mike Murphy, the NHL's senior vice president of hockey operations, defended the league's decision by explaining, "We felt it was a battle for the puck. Boychuk tried to eliminate Raymond by pushing him towards the boards as the puck went by."
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
currently playing for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
of the National Hockey League (NHL)
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. He was a member of the Bruins' Stanley Cup Championship
2011 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
team in 2011.
Playing career
Boychuk was drafted 61st overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
by the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. Prior to being drafted Boychuk was a product of the WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
Calgary Hitmen
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner...
. Boychuk made his professional debut with the Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
in the 2004–05
2004–05 AHL season
The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season...
season.
Boychuk spent the next four years in the Avalanche organization playing primarily for their AHL affiliations. Boychuk made his NHL debut in the 2007–08 season on the January 5, 2008 against the New York Islanders. Boychuk, a defenceman, made his debut as a forward playing on the wing.
On June 24, 2008, Boychuk was traded to the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in exchange for Matt Hendricks
Matt Hendricks
Matthew J. Hendricks is an American ice hockey forward who is currently playing with the Washington Capitals of the NHL.-Playing career:...
. Boychuk was assigned to the Providence Bruins to start the 2008–09
2008–09 AHL season
The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:...
season and in his first week was named "AHL Player of the Week". On December 1, 2008, Boychuk was recalled to Boston and made his Bruins debut in a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 4, 2008. Boychuk was then returned to Providence for the rest of the season where he enjoyed a breakout season, capturing the Eddie Shore Award
Eddie Shore Award
The Eddie Shore Award is presented annually to the AHL's best defenceman. The award winner is chosen by AHL media and players. The award is named after Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Shore.-Winners:-Other Eddie Shore Award:...
by leading the league with 20 goals and 45 assists among defenceman and being named in the AHL's First All-Star Team.
On July 1, 2009, Boychuk secured his first one-way contract when he re-signed with the Bruins for the 2009–10 season.
As a member of the Bruins when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
to win the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals
2011 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
, he was involved in a controversial play that resulted in Mason Raymond
Mason Raymond
Mason Evan Raymond is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Born in Cochrane, Alberta, he played Junior A in the Alberta Junior Hockey League for two seasons, where he captured league and regional titles with the...
sustaining a vertebrae compression fracture
Compression fracture
A compression fracture is a collapse of a vertebra. It may be due to trauma or due to a weakened vertebra. This weakening is seen patients with osteoporosis or osteogenesis imperfecta, lytic lesions from metastatic or primary tumors, or infection. In healthy patients it is most often seen in...
twenty second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
s into Game 6 on June 13. Raymond had been shoved backwards into the boards by Boychuk with the latter's stick
Ice hockey stick
An ice hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in ice hockey to shoot, pass, and carry the puck. Ice hockey sticks are approximately 150–200 cm long, composed of a long, slender shaft with a flat extension at one end called the blade. The blade is the part of the stick used to contact the...
caught between the former's leg
Human leg
The human leg is the entire lower extremity or limb of the human body, including the foot, thigh and even the hip or gluteal region; however, the precise definition in human anatomy refers only to the section of the lower limb extending from the knee to the ankle.Legs are used for standing,...
s. The injury forced Raymond to miss the remainder of the series and the start of the following season. Boychuk was neither penalized on the play nor punished with a fine or suspension. Critical of the lack of any action taken against Boychuk, Canucks president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Mike Gillis
Mike Gillis
Michael David Gillis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.-Playing career:...
said, "I didn't see the puck around him. I thought the Boston player used a can opener and drove him with enough force into the board to break his back." Mike Murphy, the NHL's senior vice president of hockey operations, defended the league's decision by explaining, "We felt it was a battle for the puck. Boychuk tried to eliminate Raymond by pushing him towards the boards as the puck went by."
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1999–00 | Calgary Hitmen Calgary Hitmen The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 66 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 61 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17 | ||
| 2001–02 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 70 | 8 | 32 | 40 | 85 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2002–03 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 40 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Moose Jaw Warriors Moose Jaw Warriors The Moose Jaw Warriors are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League which are based out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The team plays its home games at Mosaic Place. The franchise moved to Moose Jaw from Winnipeg after the 1983–84 season, where they had previously been named the... |
WHL | 27 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 32 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 29 | ||
| 2003–04 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 62 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 71 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 9 | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Hershey Bears Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
80 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 74 | 6 | 26 | 32 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Albany River Rats Albany River Rats The Albany River Rats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.- Founding to 2010 :... |
AHL | 80 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 125 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Lake Erie Monsters Lake Erie Monsters The Lake Erie Monsters are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They began play in the 2007–08 AHL season at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio... |
AHL | 60 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Colorado Avalanche Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Providence Bruins Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:... |
AHL | 78 | 20 | 45 | 65 | 61 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 19 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 51 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 43 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Providence Bruins | AHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 69 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 45 | 25 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | ||
| NHL totals | 125 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 88 | 38 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 18 | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| American Hockey League American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
||
| First All-Star Team | 2009 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
|
| Eddie Shore Award Eddie Shore Award The Eddie Shore Award is presented annually to the AHL's best defenceman. The award winner is chosen by AHL media and players. The award is named after Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Shore.-Winners:-Other Eddie Shore Award:... |
2009 | |
| National Hockey League National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
||
| Stanley Cup Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug... |
2011 2011 Stanley Cup Finals The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver... |
|