About Bob Boucher

A Coach Remembered: 

As the coach of the intercollegiate hockey team for 13 years, he compiled an astounding record of 231 wins, 33 losses and four ties and led the Huskies to the National Championship game in four consecutive season from 1970 to 1973.

Boucher came from an illustrious hockey family with connections to numerous NHL teams. A star junior player with the Montreal Junior Canadiens when they won the Memorial Cup in 1957, and with the Toronto Saint Michaels, an eye injury precluded a promising NHL career. Nevertheless, he went on to play senior and semi-professional hockey in Europe and Canada before being lured to Saint Mary’s by Bob Hayes.

He revived hockey at Saint Mary’s which had been without a team for many years. He also started the Saint Mary’s Hockey Camp of Champions, a summer program for minor hockey players, and under his leadership provided top notch instruction for over 2000 young players. He left Saint Mary’s in 1982 to be an assistant coach to his former teammate Pat Quinn of the Philadelphia Flyers. Hired on specifically to improve the Flyers power play which had been the worst in the League the previous year, in one season, under Boucher’s able leadership, the Flyers’ power play became the tops in the League. He subsequently coached junior and senior teams in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Bob Boucher’s no-nonsense coaching style helped foster a winning tradition at Saint Mary’s. A former player noted that Boucher was “known as a strategist and a motivator who always got the most out of his players game in and game out.” His expertise in recognizing good minor hockey talent was still called upon by professional coaches for long after he retired.

1962

1968

1973

2004

The Boucher Years

1967-68         12     4     0       AIAA/AUS Finalists

1968-69         13     5     0       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Tournament

1969-70         15     1     2       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Final Game

1970-71         17     1     0       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Final Game

1971-72         15     2     0       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Final Game

1972-73         21     0     0       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Final Game

1973-74         19     2     0       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Tournament

1974-75         16     1     1       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Tournament

1975-76         15     1     0       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Tournament

1976-77         16     2     2       AIAA/AUS Championship – CIS Championship Tournament

1977-78         18     2     0

1978-79         15     4     1

1979-80         17    10    1

Boucher’s Huskies won nine consecutive AIAA/AUAA/ Championships. In one nine year stretch (1969-70 – 1976-77) his team accumulated a total of 15 losses.

His combined CIAU/CIS record is 231 wins 33 losses and 4 ties.

AUS/AUAA/AIAA Coach of the Year in 1972 and again in 1976. CIS Coach of the Year in ’72 and ‘76.

Boucher wins the Hardy Cup coaching the Dartmouth Moosehead Mounties in 1990. His combined 7 year coaching record with the Moosehead Mounties was 208-64-19, and in 1990 was named Hockey Nova Scotia Coach of the Year.

Combining his Huskies and Mounties record over the 20 years, his record is:   439 – 97 –  23

Plays Major Junior with Toronto St. Mikes and the Hull Ottawa Canadiens. With St. Mikes in 1956 he narrowly loses the scoring championship to Frank Mahavolich.

Boucher wins the Memorial Cup as a player in 1957 with the Hull Ottawa Canadiens.

How good was Bouch? Take Note!

1956-57 OHL Scoring

Gp                                                                        G         A         Pts

Frank Mahovlich           St Mikes              49     52     36     88

Bob Boucher                 St Mikes              52     41     33     74

Bob Nevin                     Toronto               51     45     29     74

Bobby Hull                    St Catherines      52     33     28     61

Stan Mikita                   St Catherines      52     16     31     47

Boucher played in the EHL with Greensboro Generals and the Jersey Devils. In 1962 he scores 60 goals and adds 47 assists for 107 points for the Greensboro.

Assistant Coach with Pat Quinn and the Philadelphia Flyers 1982 where he was in charge of the power play elevating it  from last in proficiency 1981 to first in 1982 in the NHL.

Coached Major Junior with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL 1983-84.

Assistant coach with the Nova Scotia Oilers, as well as coaching Maritime Junior A Hockey with the Cole Harbour Colts as well as the Halifax Oland Exports.