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Sarnia, ON - The Sarnia
Sting capped off the week of signings with Sting
Head Coach and General Manager Jacques Beaulieu
announcing the signing of forward Reid Boucher to an
OHL contract and Education Package.
"It
brings another top six forward," said Beaulieu. "I
wanted to add at least one more top six forward to
our line up and we are bringing in a pure goal
scorer."
Boucher spent last season with the U.S. National U18
team were he scored 32 goals and 22 assists in 57
games, as well as leading the US-18 team to a Gold
Medal at the 2011 Under-18 World Championships with
eight goals in six games.
"He's
a clutch player. He likes being on the ice in the
last two minutes of play, and he can score some big
goals for us," said Beaulieu. "Adding another player
like him adds a lot of depth and it also shores up
our special teams."
Boucher was the Stings 14th round pick in the 2009
OHL Priority Selection, and was the New Jersey
Devils 4th round pick in this years NHL entry draft.
Boucher will be with familiar faces in the locker
room, as Connor Murphy signed earlier in the week
and played with Boucher on the US development team.
Beaulieu commented that getting Murphy was a major
step in convincing Boucher to come to Sarnia.
"We
knew if we could get one, we would have a good
chance at the other," said Beaulieu. "Reid was a
touch sell. He committed to [Michigan State], but I
think him having to play another year in the USHL
before he could go to college had a big impact on
his decision."
The
signing of Boucher is another in a long list of
movements over the summer the Sarnia Sting and
Jacques Beaulieu have made. With Nail Yakupov, Alex
Galchenyuk and Brett Ritchie all returning from last
season, the trade to bring in overage Taylor
Carnevale, getting a commitment from 1st round draft
pick Ryan Kujawinski and now the signing of Boucher,
Sarnia's top 6 forwards each have the ability to
score 30 or more goals in a season.
"We
are going to be a competitive hockey team that plays
a high tempo type of hockey. We'll be good
defensively and do what it takes to win hockey
games."
With
Boucher and Murphy and the rest of the draft
signee's, a foundation has been made in Sarnia so
that this current Sarnia Sting team is not just a
one year wonder. Both Boucher and Murphy are
expected to be with the team for at least two
seasons.
"There is a real good foundation," said Beaulieu.
"We have a good base and we want to be competitive
every year. I think that's what this city is
starving for, that's what the fans are starving for,
and we need to put people in the seats in this
building. It's got to stop, the bleeding has got to
stop."
The
decision for Boucher to come to Sarnia was not easy,
as the forward had already made his commitment to
Michigan State.
"It
was a very very tough decision," said Boucher. "It
was in my heart to play at Michigan State. I went to
the New Jersey Devils rookie camp and play very well
there, so me and my parents sat down and decided
that Sarnia was the best option for me to get to me
ultimate goal of playing in the National Hockey
League."
Boucher described himself as a "very hard competitor
with a scoring touch."
The
New Jersey Devil's organization advised Boucher to
make a decision and go with it and don't look back.
Boucher is a part of a growing trend for US
development players to come to Canada to play in the
CHL where they play a 68 game schedule and get on
the ice every day and are in a pro atmosphere which
better helps their development as they look to fast
track into the NHL.
Sarnia's training camp opens on August 29th.
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