The Vancouver Canucks have claimed forward Reid Boucher off waivers from the New Jersey Devils.
Boucher, 23, has already been claimed once this season, by the Nashville Predators. But the Devils claimed him back shortly thereafter, then put him on waivers again, hoping to get him down to the AHL.
Enter the Canucks, who are currently without winger Jannik Hansen due to injury. They’ve also lost winger Derek Dorsett (neck surgery) for the season. And yet another winger of theirs, Anton Rodin, is still getting back into game shape after tweaking his knee in the preseason.
Boucher was a prolific scorer in junior, and he’s been a good scorer in the AHL; however, he’s yet to break through at the NHL level. The Michigan native really had to work on his skating after the Devils drafted him in the fourth round back in 2011, and that may still be keeping him back.
In 85 games for the Devils and Predators, Boucher has 12 goals and 18 assists. Last season, he had 19 goals in just 34 games for Albany.