Robert Boucher
Encyclopedia
Robert James "Bobby" Boucher (February 14, 1904 in Ottawa
, Ontario
– June 10, 1931) was a Canadian professional ice hockey
centre
who played one season in the National Hockey League
(NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens
. He won a Stanley Cup
in 1924 with Montreal. He was one of four brothers who played in the NHL.
, Frank
and Georges would also become professional ice hockey players. There were two other brothers, Carroll and Joseph, and two sisters, Irene and Lily. Their father played rugby football, winning the Canadian championship in 1894, 1896, 1897 and 1901.
Bobby had a daughter with his wife Kay Wilson. Kay was a successful speed skater, who won civic titles in Hamilton and Ottawa. Bobby died at 27 years of age on June 10, 1931 of tuberculosis. Bobby's funeral was held at his brother Carrol's in Ottawa followed by a service at St-Theresa's church and was attended by many members of the sporting circle of the Nations's Capital including all of his famous hockey playing siblings. He was later intered at Notre Dame cemetery alongside his parents.
On January 24, 1924, Bobby was signed as a free agent by the Montreal Canadiens. He played 12 regular season games alongside his brother Billy, as well as three of the four Stanley Cup playoff games. Despite having shared in the success in Montreal, he was traded to the Vancouver Maroons of the WCHL on the very day the Canadiens were celebrating their Stanley Cup win. Team owner Leo Dandurand felt Bobby was "too small", and traded him for Charlie Cotch
. This may well have been one of the shortest stints in the NHL on a Stanley Cup winning team for a player.
He then bounced between 5 teams in the next 4 seasons in the WHL, Can-Pro and the Can-Am hockey leagues, and had his best season with the London Panthers in 1926-27, marking 8 goals and 2 assists and a career high 39 penalty minutes. His last season was with Sprague Cleghorn
's Newark Bulldogs, with which he played only 5 games, presumably because his tuberculosis began to hinder his performance.
After Boucher retired from hockey, he became a referee in the Ottawa Valley Hockey League. He is related to Keith Boucher.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
– June 10, 1931) was a Canadian professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played one season in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. He won a Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in 1924 with Montreal. He was one of four brothers who played in the NHL.
Personal life
Bobby was one of six sons born to Tom Boucher and Annie Carroll. His paternal grandfather, Antoine Boucher was French while his other grand-parents were Irish in descent. His brothers BillyBilly Boucher
William Martin Boucher was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he played in the National Hockey League for the Hamilton Tigers, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and New York Americans. He also played for the New Haven Eagles and Bronx Tigers of the...
, Frank
Frank Boucher
François-Xavier "Raffles" Boucher was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. Boucher played the forward position for the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League and the Vancouver Maroons in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association...
and Georges would also become professional ice hockey players. There were two other brothers, Carroll and Joseph, and two sisters, Irene and Lily. Their father played rugby football, winning the Canadian championship in 1894, 1896, 1897 and 1901.
Bobby had a daughter with his wife Kay Wilson. Kay was a successful speed skater, who won civic titles in Hamilton and Ottawa. Bobby died at 27 years of age on June 10, 1931 of tuberculosis. Bobby's funeral was held at his brother Carrol's in Ottawa followed by a service at St-Theresa's church and was attended by many members of the sporting circle of the Nations's Capital including all of his famous hockey playing siblings. He was later intered at Notre Dame cemetery alongside his parents.
Playing career
Boucher played junior hockey with the New Edinburghs, Ottawa Muchmore and Creighton Public School. During this time he was no stranger to professional hockey, as he was also a mascot for the Ottawa Senators until 1921. Although no details of what that entailed are available, he was likely a stick-boy. He then spent the next three seasons with the Iroquois Falls "Baby" Eskimos before returning to Ottawa to play for the Ottawa Gunners for a portion of the 1923-24 season.On January 24, 1924, Bobby was signed as a free agent by the Montreal Canadiens. He played 12 regular season games alongside his brother Billy, as well as three of the four Stanley Cup playoff games. Despite having shared in the success in Montreal, he was traded to the Vancouver Maroons of the WCHL on the very day the Canadiens were celebrating their Stanley Cup win. Team owner Leo Dandurand felt Bobby was "too small", and traded him for Charlie Cotch
Charlie Cotch
Charles Cotch was a Canadian Professional Hockey Left Winger who played 1 season in the National Hockey League for the Hamilton Tigers and Toronto St. Pats...
. This may well have been one of the shortest stints in the NHL on a Stanley Cup winning team for a player.
He then bounced between 5 teams in the next 4 seasons in the WHL, Can-Pro and the Can-Am hockey leagues, and had his best season with the London Panthers in 1926-27, marking 8 goals and 2 assists and a career high 39 penalty minutes. His last season was with Sprague Cleghorn
Sprague Cleghorn
Henry William Sprague "Peg" Cleghorn, , was a Canadian professional hockey player from Westmount who played for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Renfrew Creamery Kings and Toronto St. Patricks in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League...
's Newark Bulldogs, with which he played only 5 games, presumably because his tuberculosis began to hinder his performance.
After Boucher retired from hockey, he became a referee in the Ottawa Valley Hockey League. He is related to Keith Boucher.