The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Tyler Boucher to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season, the club announced on Friday. The deal, per PuckPedia, carries a league-minimum NHL cap hit of $850,000 and a $90,000 salary in the American Hockey League.
Boucher's struggles since being drafted 10th overall
Selected 10th overall by Ottawa in the 2021 NHL Draft, Boucher has struggled to live up to expectations, dealing with constant injuries and underwhelming offensive numbers. It has been difficult to pinpoint his last full season of hockey, possibly dating back to 2019-20 with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
Now 23, Boucher took some strides last season, recording 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 47 games with the Belleville Senators, his best point-per-game pace at the professional level. Despite 115 games in the AHL, he has yet to make his NHL debut.
Injuries have hampered development
In the past several years, Boucher has rehabbed an upper-body injury, a torn labrum requiring surgery, multiple knee injuries, and a separate leg injury. "The best ability is availability, so they say," the article notes, emphasizing that staying healthy is crucial for his scoring ability to emerge.
Former general manager Pierre Dorion, who drafted Boucher, expressed confidence in 2023 that the prospect would succeed. "Your son's going to be a really good NHL player. He just needs a bit of time, but he needs to play," Dorion recalled telling Boucher's father, former NHL goaltender Brian Boucher.
This could be Boucher's last chance
With the one-year deal, this might be Boucher's final opportunity to prove himself within the Senators organization. He will need to show significant improvement and durability to earn a longer-term future in Ottawa.
