At the 2021 NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators were eager to find another player to help build the franchise around Brady Tkachuk, and newly drafted Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson from the year before with both of them being drafted in the top five. With the 10th overall pick in 2021, the Senators selected Tyler Boucher.
Boucher was looked at as a promising forward, but the 10th overall pick has yet to play an NHL game since being drafted. Wyatt Johnston has become a superstar player from the same class, and even Cole Sillinger of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who was taken with the very next pick after Boucher, has become a steady player in the NHL.
Last season was another struggle for Boucher to develop in the AHL. Now, expectations for Boucher will be higher than ever to produce.
Boucher needs to start producing points desperately with being on an expiring contract
This upcoming season, Boucher is entering the final year of his contract at 22 years old. With being on an expiring contract, it could potentially make Boucher become trade bait. Boucher will need to produce the best season of his career to make the Senators not feel they might need to consider moving on.
Last season, Boucher struggled with recording 10 points in 47 games in the AHL with the Belleville Senators. It took 16 games for Boucher to record his first AHL point of last season. A slow start led to a struggling season for Boucher.
In the 2023-24 season, Boucher recorded five points in 21 AHL games. Recording 15 points in 68 AHL games are signs Boucher is off to a rough beginning in the AHL. Boucher has also dealt with injuries, which hasn't helped him grow his game.
A healthy Boucher in 2025-26 can help him start to show his full potential that the Senators need to see quickly. How many points could be enough from Boucher in 2025-26 to entice the Senators to not move on from Boucher during the season before the trade deadline, or after the season concludes?
30-40 points with potentially hitting the 45-point mark
Injuries are a big reason why Boucher hasn't been able to show his game fully. If Boucher is fully healthy and can start showing promise this upcoming season, 30-40 points could be enough for the Senators to see potential is still there as a starting point. If Boucher can come close to 45 points, the Senators can see that he can still raise his game more.
With Angus Crookshank and Cole Reinhardt both leaving the Senators this off-season, it can open up an opportunity for Boucher to get more playing time, but it can also come with more pressure due to his AHL struggles over the past two seasons.