Boucher's absence was big factor in 67's demise

When Tyler Boucher, the Ottawa Senators and the Ottawa 67’s all worked together in the hopes he would become a dominating OHL power forward 16 months ago, they never imagined he would only play 45 regular season and four playoff games.

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Between injuries and suspensions, Boucher, the Senators’ first-round draft pick in 2021, was never able to find a regular rhythm or presence in the 67’s lineup after leaving Boston University in December 2021.

Ticketed to join the AHL’s Belleville Senators next fall, Boucher was dearly missed by the 67’s in the playoffs. He never fully recovered after injuring his shoulder while playing for the U.S. at the world junior tournament and had surgery in March.

“If there was one thing we probably didn’t have on our team, outside of him, was a true power forward, the linebacker,” said 67’s coach Dave Cameron. “You can build your line of scrimmage, but he’s going through it. He has that ability to back other teams off.”

Boucher scored 17 goals and 14 assists in his 45 regular season games with the 67’s, along with one goal and one assist in four playoff games last April.

Unfortunately, what he might be remembered most for is the injuries and the suspensions, controversial in that he often appeared to be punished for the force of his legal hits.

“He has the ability to back other teams off,” said Cameron. “A lot of the stuff they call in the regular season they don’t (penalize) in the playoffs, which I feel is great. He would have really given us that power forward. Pro players are big and strong and every team has a power forward, a guy that when he’s on the forecheck, the other team is well aware of it. It gets teams off their game a little bit because they know he’s coming.”

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