Nick Boucher
Encyclopedia
Nick Boucher is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
goaltender who currently plays for the Fort Wayne Komets
of the Central Hockey League
.
in 1997. Midway through the 1998-99 BCHL season, Boucher was traded to the Fort Saskatchewan Traders of the AJHL.
Boucher would later commit to Dartmouth College, where he became the starting goaltender. Although Boucher would only win 8 games in his freshman season, the Pittsburgh Penguins
made him their final pick of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, choosing him 280th overall. Boucher's totals would improve in his remaining years with Dartmouth, winning 16, 9, and 17 games respectively.
Signing to play with the Penguins farm team, Boucher would start his professional career with the Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL
affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, with a late season recall to Pittsburgh's primary minor league affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL
. Boucher would record 20 wins in his rookie season and was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team. Due to the NHL Lockout
of 2004-05, many pros that would normally have played in the NHL chose to play in the AHL
, forcing pros in the AHL down to the ECHL. As a result, Boucher was left out of the Penguins plans and he became an unrestricted free agent
Boucher would remain in the minors for several years, playing in Pee Dee (Florence, SC), Elmira and Muskegon before traveling to Europe. Boucher would split his 2006-07 season between the Basingstoke Bison
of the EIHL and the Tilburg Trappers of the Eredivisie in the Netherlands, where he won his first championship. He would return to North America for the 2007-08 IHL season as a member of the Fort Wayne Komets
. With the exception of an 18 game stint with the Sydney Bears
of the Australian Ice Hockey League
, Boucher has remained with the team, being named the team's MVP in the 2008-2009 season, the IHL's Goalie Of the Year and First Team All Star, as well as runner up for the league MVP (winner was Todd Robinson). He has since won 3 championships with the Komets.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
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...
goaltender who currently plays for the Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
of the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
.
Playing career
Boucher started his career playing for the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BCHLBritish Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
in 1997. Midway through the 1998-99 BCHL season, Boucher was traded to the Fort Saskatchewan Traders of the AJHL.
Boucher would later commit to Dartmouth College, where he became the starting goaltender. Although Boucher would only win 8 games in his freshman season, the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
made him their final pick of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, choosing him 280th overall. Boucher's totals would improve in his remaining years with Dartmouth, winning 16, 9, and 17 games respectively.
Signing to play with the Penguins farm team, Boucher would start his professional career with the Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, with a late season recall to Pittsburgh's primary minor league affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the 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...
. Boucher would record 20 wins in his rookie season and was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team. Due to the NHL Lockout
NHL lockout
The NHL lockout may refer to any of the two lockouts in the history of the National Hockey League:* The 1994–95 NHL lockout, which canceled many of the games of the 1994–95 season...
of 2004-05, many pros that would normally have played in the NHL chose to play in the 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...
, forcing pros in the AHL down to the ECHL. As a result, Boucher was left out of the Penguins plans and he became an unrestricted free agent
Boucher would remain in the minors for several years, playing in Pee Dee (Florence, SC), Elmira and Muskegon before traveling to Europe. Boucher would split his 2006-07 season between the Basingstoke Bison
Basingstoke Bison
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...
of the EIHL and the Tilburg Trappers of the Eredivisie in the Netherlands, where he won his first championship. He would return to North America for the 2007-08 IHL season as a member of the Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
. With the exception of an 18 game stint with the Sydney Bears
Sydney Bears
The Sydney Bears are a semi-professional ice hockey team based in Penrith, New South Wales, who are members of the Australian Ice Hockey League . They have won two Goodall Cup championships since their founding in 2000, most recently in 2007. The Bears are one of the original three teams that...
of the Australian Ice Hockey League
Australian Ice Hockey League
The Australian Ice Hockey League is Australia's top-level ice hockey league. It is sanctioned by Ice Hockey Australia and is run by its own Board of Directors....
, Boucher has remained with the team, being named the team's MVP in the 2008-2009 season, the IHL's Goalie Of the Year and First Team All Star, as well as runner up for the league MVP (winner was Todd Robinson). He has since won 3 championships with the Komets.
Awards
- 2003-2004: ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
All-Rookie Team - 2006-2007: Eredivisie Champion
- 2007-2008: IHLUnited Hockey LeagueThe United Hockey League was a low-level professional ice hockey league , with teams in the United States...
Champion - 2008-2009: IHL Champion
- 2008-2009: IHL First All-Star Team
- 2008-2009: IHL Goaltender of the Year
- 2009-2010: IHL Champion
Records
- 1999-2003: Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth CollegeDartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, career saves (2,803) - 1999-2003: Dartmouth College, career wins (50)
- 2000-2001: Dartmouth College, single season saves (867)