Philippe Boucher

Philippe Boucher (born March 24, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League. He was the general manager of the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL from 2019 to 2023. He also served as GM with the Quebec Remparts and the Rimouski Oceanic.

Playing career Amateur As a youth, Boucher played in the 1985, 1986 and 1987 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with minor ice hockey team from Lotbinière, Quebec and Rive-Sud. Boucher began his junior ice hockey career with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Granby Bisons in 1990. Boucher produced at a nearly point-per-game average and won the QMJHL Rookie of the Year award. He was also named a second-team QMJHL All-Star. In his second season, Boucher notched 77 points in 65 games with Granby and the Laval Titan, again being named a second-team All-Star. Boucher spent one more seasons in the QMJHL, splitting time between Granby, Laval, and later two professional teams.

Professional The Buffalo Sabres drafted Boucher in the first round, 13th overall, in the 1991 NHL entry draft. One year later, Boucher began his professional career, starting the 1992–1993 season as a defenceman for the Sabres. Boucher posted a +5 plus/minus rating, but ended the season with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. Boucher was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings during the 1994–1995 season. In Los Angeles, he played a career-high 80 games in the 2001–2002 season.

In 2002, Boucher signed as a free agent with the Dallas Stars, reuniting with the former special teams coach of the Kings, Dave Tippett. On November 28, 2003, late in the third period of a game against the New Jersey Devils, an errant puck hit Boucher on the left side of his face, breaking his left orbital bone. Boucher had surgery on December 1 to repair the bone, putting him on the injured list for weeks. After the injury, Boucher wore a visor.

In the 2006–07 NHL season, Boucher tied the Stars' franchise record for most goals by a defenceman in a regular season, with 19 goals. Boucher was selected by the NHL to play in the 55th National Hockey League All-Star Game in Dallas on January 24, 2007. Since Scott Niedermayer, one of two defencemen on the starting line-up chosen by the fans, was injured at the time, Western All-Star coach Barry Trotz named Boucher on the starting line-up as Niedermayer's replacement. During the 2008–09 season on November 16, 2008, Boucher was traded by the Stars to the Pittsburgh Penguins in return for Darryl Sydor. He helped the Penguins capture the Stanley Cup, his first, before announcing his retirement from the NHL on September 3, 2009.

Personal life Boucher resides with his wife Lucie and their two children, Matthew and Vanessa in Quebec City during the summer. Boucher founded the Philippe-Boucher Foundation, which helps underprivileged children in the Lotbinière region.

Awards RDS Cup (QMJHL Rookie of the Year) – 1990–91 OMJHL Second-Team All-Star – 1990–91 and 1991–92 Played in NHL All-Star Game – 2007 Stanley Cup champion – 2009

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1988–89 Ste-Foy Gouverneurs QMAAA 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1989–90 Ste-Foy Gouverneurs QMAAA 42 26 60 86 76 12 6 19 25 16 1990–91 Granby Bisons QMJHL 69 21 46 67 92 — — — — — 1991–92 Granby Bisons QMJHL 49 22 37 59 47 — — — — — 1991–92 Laval Titan QMJHL 16 7 11 18 36 10 5 6 11 8 1992–93 Laval Titan QMJHL 16 12 15 27 37 13 6 15 21 12 1992–93 Rochester Americans AHL 5 4 3 7 8 3 0 1 1 2 1992–93 Buffalo Sabres NHL 18 0 4 4 14 — — — — — 1993–94 Rochester Americans AHL 31 10 22 32 51 — — — — — 1993–94 Buffalo Sabres NHL 38 6 8 14 29 7 1 1 2 2 1994–95 Rochester Americans AHL 43 14 27 41 26 — — — — — 1994–95 Buffalo Sabres NHL 9 1 4 5 0 — — — — — 1994–95 Los Angeles Kings NHL 6 1 0 1 4 — — — — — 1995–96 Phoenix Roadrunners IHL 10 4 3 7 4 — — — — — 1995–96 Los Angeles Kings NHL 53 7 16 23 31 — — — — — 1996–97 Los Angeles Kings NHL 60 7 18 25 25 — — — — — 1997–98 Long Beach Ice Dogs IHL 2 0 1 1 4 — — — — — 1997–98 Los Angeles Kings NHL 45 6 10 16 49 — — — — — 1998–99 Los Angeles Kings NHL 45 2 6 8 32 — — — — — 1999–2000 Long Beach Ice Dogs IHL 14 4 11 15 8 6 0 9 9 8 1999–2000 Los Angeles Kings NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2000–01 Manitoba Moose IHL 45 10 22 32 39 — — — — — 2000–01 Los Angeles Kings NHL 22 2 4 6 20 13 0 1 1 2 2001–02 Los Angeles Kings NHL 80 7 23 30 94 5 0 1 1 2 2002–03 Dallas Stars NHL 80 7 20 27 94 11 1 2 3 11 2003–04 Dallas Stars NHL 70 8 16 24 64 5 1 0 1 6 2005–06 Dallas Stars NHL 66 16 27 43 77 5 0 1 1 2 2006–07 Dallas Stars NHL 76 19 32 51 104 7 0 1 1 6 2007–08 Dallas Stars NHL 38 2 12 14 26 3 0 0 0 4 2008–09 Dallas Stars NHL 16 0 3 3 15 — — — — — 2008–09 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 25 3 3 6 24 9 1 3 4 4 NHL totals 748 94 206 300 702 65 4 10 14 39