1. Reid Boucher
Reid Boucher wasn’t a 1st-round pick or someone the Devils touted as “the future”, but he is the epitome of fans going all in on a prospect and busting with a pair of twos. Boucher broke Steven Stamkos’ scoring record with the Sarnia Sting. We just kept saying that. Nobody thought he’d be close to the likes of the Lightning superstar, but he had to bring that scoring ability to the NHL, right?
Nope.
Boucher came to the AHL the same year he hit 62 goals with Sarnia. He looked alright in his 11-game start, putting up five points. For the next three seasons, the Devils kept giving him shots to make the NHL, and he proved time and time again he was an AHL player. He’s actually become one of the best players in the AHL, putting up 67 points this season for the Utica Comets. Still, despite back-to-back 60-point seasons, the Vancouver Canucks played him in one NHL game.
Boucher is still 26 years old, and he clearly has a scoring touch, but the Devils were never able to get what they wanted out of Boucher. Now, he’s on his way to the KHL, signing a deal with Avangard Omsk to play next season. Would we be surprised if he eventually makes it back to the NHL? Honestly, yes. Despite his production in the minors, he’s what they call in baseball a “quadruple A” player.
Boucher had us all hoping for a mid-round steal to bring the Devils prospect pool up a mark. He never hit his potential in the NHL, despite finding confidence in Utica. There’s a reason he decided to go overseas, and it’s likely so he can prove he can score in the pros.