April 20, 2010

Boucher to Play Down Under

By Patrick Angel

Head Coach of the Sydney Bears, Vlad Rubes has claimed he expects new signing Nick Boucher to be “the best goaltender in the AIHL”. 

Boucher, 29, the Pittsburg Penguins 2000 entry draft pick is currently playing for the Fort Wayne Komets in the International Hockey League. 

Boucher, who will be joining the Bears in early May due to the Komets playoffs starting in late April, has played in major leagues across Europe and the United States.

Big things are expected of the two-time IHL Goaltender of the Season, and runner up Most Valuable Player.

Rubes has claimed “you don't get players like Nick to come Australia every year. It always gives the team a massive portion of confidence when they know there is someone who can steal the games for them and can drive the other team crazy. His experience from not just playing in the Pro Leagues but also being the essential member of the Championship teams will be tremendous.” 

"I'm thrilled to be coming down to play for the Bears and am looking forward to experiencing the Aussie culture, but most importantly I am excited about the challenge in helping to return the Bears to the level of competitiveness that the fans and club are accustomed to." said Boucher.