Boucher is a hard-working player who wants to win every battle and be a contributor on the score sheet. Although he doesn’t have great size, he’s a sturdy player with some solid core strength who plays hard along the boards. He wins battles and is good on the draw. Boucher plays in all situations—even strength, power play and penalty kill—and is a key part of Quebec’s offense. His hands are quick, but also a bit choppy. He is decisive with the puck and doesn’t hang onto it too long. Boucher could work on smoothing out his skating. He is able to reach a top straightline speed eventually, but his stride is a little disjointed. With two hands on his stick, he cradles his arms and swings them back and forth “pitchfork style,” wasting energy. He hops a bit too much in his stride as well, slowing down his foot speed. His crossovers, however, are strong and he is balanced due to his center of gravity. Despite his small stature, Boucher is not afraid to go in the dirty areas and has a strong shot with a quick release that is dangerous from the circles on in. On the penalty kill, he is not scared to put his body in the shooting lanes, but sometimes, he commits himself too quickly, giving a lot of space for defenders to walk around him. Boucher is the son of Remparts GM/Head Coach Philippe Boucher, a former 6-foot-3 NHL defenseman, which leads us to believe he still has some growth left in his frame. He was used as a winger and a center at different times of the season, but we like him better off the wing.   (May 2016)