Brian Boucher

Last updated

(Photo courtesy Mike Ashmore. Thanks, Mike!)


BIOGRAPHY

BORN: January 1, 1977, Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
HOME:
HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 180-190 lbs.
UNIFORM #: 33 (Philadelphia, Phoenix, Calgary, San Jose), 35 (San Antonio, Columbus), 31 (Chicago), 1 (Philadephia AHL 2007-08).
CATCHES: Left
HIGH SCHOOL: Mount St. Charles (Woonsocket, RI), Kamiakan (Kennewick, WA)
JUNIOR TEAM: Tri-City Americans WHL.

STYLE:
STRENGTHS: Aggressive with the stick; using it to keep the front of his net clear, protect the side-net passing lanes and throwing the occasional poke-check. Sound footwork and good balance. Does not waste any movement. Recovers well after falling for a deke, and never quits on the play.
WEAKNESSES: Inconsistent. Tries to do too much in passing and shooting the puck.

HIS MASK: "It's two fighter pilots in the cockpit of a plane. They've got a mean smirk and goggles as in the old days. The plane's going down the side with bullet holes in it. I didn't know what to do; I didn't know what the word Flyer meant, so I talked to the painter. Phlly is best known for cheesesteak but I don't think I could put a cheesesteak on my mask." (ESPN The Magazine, 1/21/02, p. 104)
Name pronounced boo-SHAY.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"G Brian Boucher, a No. 1 pick in 1995, had 33 wins in the WHL. He's just waiting for Hextall to call it quits." (ESPN Hockey 96, p. 68)

"The first-ever goalie chosen in the first round by the Flyers has been tabbed the eventual No. 1 man for the Flyers and hasn't disappointed. He was the Western League's goalie of the year last season and also excelled at the World Junior Championship. This season, he is helping guide the Phantoms to AHL supremacy. "Every year he has moved up," [Philadelphia scouting director John] Blackwell said. "Considering his record with the Phantoms as a first-year pro, we just expect that he will continue to improve." (Wayne Fish, The Hockey News Future Watch 1998)

"Boucher came off a decent first season as understudy to veteran Neil Little on the AHL champion Phantoms. But knee problems popped up early this season and he has only gotten into 22 games in his second professional season. Boucher has extensive experience in international junior tournaments and was considered one of the top American-born goalie prospects. But now he faces rehab work on his knees and a challenge from Pelletier for ice time heading into the AHL playoffs." (Wayne Fish, The Hockey News Future Watch 1999)

"Now considered Philly's second goaltending prospect after Pelletier, Boucher was slowed by knee troubles that sidelined him for nearly half the 1998-99 schedule. Nonetheless, he plays a confident brand of goaltending and has improved considerably. Boucher needs to come up big this year in order to remind the Flyers why they picked him the first round in 1995." (The Sports Forecaster 1999-2000, p. 115)

"Flyers have found their man. Young goalie proved to all onlookers he can handle the pressure." (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 37)

"Flyers management was so impressed with Boucher late in the 1999-2000 regular season that it awarded him the hefty task of entering the playoffs as the No. 1 man between the pipes. And, what a job the rookie netminder did. The Flyers' MVP during the postseason, he was equally brilliant during the regular season, posting a 20-10-3 won-loss record to go along with a league-leading 1.91 goals-against average. Is Boucher the goaltender Philadelphia has so desperately sought for the past five years? Chances are he is." (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 104)

"The Flyers have entrusted Boucher with the task of backstopping them to their first Stanley Cup since 1975. Has tremendous pressure on his shoulders in 2000-01, especially for a sophomore goaltender. Was positively Hasek-like in the 1999-2000 Stanley Cup playoffs, especially during the conference finals against the New Jersey Devils. Has the ability, as well as the determination, to become one of the NHL's elite goaltender. Netminding is no longer a concern in Philly." (The Sports Forecaster Online 2000-01)

"After a scintillating playoff run two seasons ago, Boucher was supposed to take over as the Flyers' starting goaltender for the next decade. Unfortunately, he bombed early on last year and watched from the bench as Roman Cechmanek took over the reins and never looked back. Boucher has the talent to be a No. 1 goalkeeper in the NHL. However, he must improve on the mental aspects of the game. Too often, he lets a bad goal nag him. Barring a trade, Boucher could wind up doing more sitting this season." (The Sports Forecaster 2001-02, p. 106)

"Instead of challenging for the starting gig in Philadelphia, Boucher will most likely serve as Sean Burke's understudy in 2002-03. With the Flyers, he spent the past three seasons trying to secure the No. 1 role. While he did show potential, he needs more work. In Phoenix, he'll be given 20-30 starts with far less pressure to perform. His long-term potential is higher than that of his predecessor, Robert Esche, but he needs to find consistency. There is no current timetable for Boucher to take over a No. 1 role. Nevertheless, his future is brighter now that he has escaped the Philly fishbowl." (The Sports Forecaster 2002-03, p. 208)

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. So went the Dickensian tale of Brian Boucher in 2003-04. In November, he wasn't even practicing with the team. After Christmas, he produced a five-game shutout streak to set a new NHL record. Then, he faded down the stretch. He must show consistency." (The Sports Forecaster 2005-06, p. 99)


TRANSACTIONS:

ACCOLADES:

VEZINA TROPHY BALLOTING:

PTS1st2nd3rdRANKSHARE
1999-00300390.02

INJURIES:

RECORDS:

PENALTY SHOTS:

NHL SHOOTOUTS:

THE SHUTOUT STREAK:

DID YOU KNOW?

SEASON RECORDS:

REGULAR SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   T  OL     GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
93-94 Mt. St. Charles RIHS        23   1170                     23   1.18                   12
94-95 Wexford Raiders OJHL         8    425                     23   3.25                    0
      Tri-City Americans WHL      35   1969  17  11   2        108   3.29                    1   0   1     2
95-96 Tri-City Americans WHL      55   3183  33  19   2        181   3.41                    1   0   4    13
      United States WORLD JUNIOR   4    220   3   1   0         13   3.55                    0
96-97 Tri-City Americans WHL      41   2458  10  24   6        149   3.64                    1   0   0     2
      United States WORLD JUNIOR   6    357   4   1   1          9   1.51                    2
97-98 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   34   1901  16  12   3        101   3.19     901   .888     0   0   0     0    28.44  935.30
98-99 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   36   2061  20   8   5         89   2.59     995   .911     2   0   1     2    28.97  958.83
99-00 Philadelphia Flyers NHL     35   2038  20  10   3         65   1.91     790   .918     4   0   1     4    23.26  956.49
      Philadelphia Phantoms NHL    1     65   0   0   1          3   2.77      31   .903     0   0   0     0    28.62  950.92
00-01 Philadelphia Flyers NHL     27   1470   8  12   5         80   3.27     644   .876     1   0   0     2    26.29  919.59
01-02 Philadelphia Flyers NHL     41   2295  18  16   4         92   2.41     972   .905     2   0   0     4    25.41  947.70
02-03 Phoenix Coyotes NHL         45   2544  15  20   8        128   3.02    1210   .894     0   0   1     0
03-04 Phoenix Coyotes NHL         40   2364  10  19  10        108   2.74    1150   .906     5   0   0     2
04-05 HV 71 Jonkoping SWEDEN       4    235                     13   3.32     112   .883     0   0   0     0
05-06 San Antonio Rampage AHL      6    345   2   3       0      8   1.39     161   .950     1   0   0     0
      Phoenix Coyotes NHL         11    512   3   6       0     33   3.87     268   .877     0   0   0     2
      Calgary Flames NHL           3    182   1   2       0     15   4.94     103   .854     0   0   0     0
06-07 Chicago Blackhawks NHL      15    827   1  10       3     45   3.27     389   .884     1   0   0     0
      Columbus Blue Jackets NHL    3    142   1   1       0      9   3.79      67   .866     0   0   0     0     
SEVEN (7) NHL SEASONS            220  12374  77  96  30   3    575   2.79    5593  0.897    13   0   2    14

POST-SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
94-95 Tri-City Americans WHL      13    795   6   5   50   3.77                    0
95-96 Tri-City Americans WHL      11    653   6   5   37   3.40                    2
97-98 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL    2     31   0   0    1   1.94                    0
98-99 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   16    947   9   7   45   2.85                    0
99-00 Philadelphia Flyers NHL     18   1183  11   7   40   2.03     484   .917     1   0   0     0    24.55  958.27
00-01 Philadelphia Flyers NHL      1     37   0   0    3   4.86      17   .824     0   0   0     0    27.57  869.48
01-02 Philadelphia Flyers NHL      2     88   0   1    2   1.36      33   .939     0   0   0     0    22.50  976.89
THREE (3) NHL POSTSEASONS         21   1308  11   8   45   2.06     534  0.916     1   0   0     0    24.50  956.56

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