Reid Boucher has earned another contract from the Vancouver Canucks, as the 24-year-old winger inked a one-year, two-way deal, the team announced on Tuesday.
The deal is reportedly worth $725,000 in the NHL – a pay raise from the $687,500 he made last year. Regardless of the dollar figure, the deal is a downgrade for Boucher, who was on a one-way deal last season. If he gets sent to the minors next season as expected, he’ll reportedly earn just $300,000 with the Utica Comets.
Coming off a season that saw Boucher score five points (3-2-5) in 20 NHL games, Boucher was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
Given that he turns 25 in September, time is running out for the talented undersized forward to prove he’s a full-time NHL player. So far, Boucher has proved to be a ‘tweener’ – a player that excels in the AHL but can’t earn a full-time job in the NHL.
Boucher had 46 points (25-21-46) in 45 AHL games last season and was named MVP of the Comets. He has scored 156 career points in 214 AHL games, but only 42 points in 132 NHL games.
The Lansing, Michigan native was acquired by the Canucks off waivers from New Jersey on January 4, 2017.
Expect a flurry of contract signings to come in the coming weeks, as the Canucks need to re-sign pending restricted free agents Sven Baertschi, Markus Granlund, Jake Virtanen, Troy Stecher, and Derrick Pouliot.
GM Jim Benning will also need to make decisions on pending unrestricted free agents like Darren Archibald, Nic Dowd, Jussi Jokinen, Joe Labate, Jayson Megna, and Richard Bachman.
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