Zach Boychuk
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Birthday:
1989-10-04 |
Position:
C |
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Eligible for draft:
2008 |
Shoots:
Left |
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Drafted:
2008 |
Height:
5-10 |
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Acquired:
Waiver claim, 2013 |
Weight:
185 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- C
History
2005-06: Zach Boychuk played 64 games with Lethbridge Hurricanes in WHL. He scored 18 goals with 33 assists and 30 PIM with +3 plus/minus. Had 5 assists in six playoff games for the Hurricanes.
2006-07: In his second season with Lethbridge Boychuk scored 31 goals with 60 assists, and a +19 plus/minus while finishing third overall in the WHL regular season scoring race. Boychuk played for Team Canada at the WJC U-18 tournament, scoring 4 goals with 3 assists in six games.
2007-08: Boychuk collected 33 goals and 39 assists in 61 games in his second season with Lethbridge and was +26 with 80 PIM. He was especially dangerous with the man advantage, scoring 12 power play goals. Boychuk was a key player in the Hurricanes playoff run to the WHL Championship series against the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs. In 18 games he scored 13 goals with 8 assists despite playing with what turned out to be a broken wrist for much of the post-season.
2008-09: Made his NHL debut with the Hurricanes, appearing in two games to start the season before being returned to Lethbridge for his final season of juniors. In 43 regular season games with the Hurricanes he scored 28 goals with 29 assists and was +16 despite suffering an ankle injury with Team Canada at the WJC which slowed him a bit. In six games with Team Canada at the mid-season tournament he had 4 goals with 3 assists. In 11 playoff games with the Hurricanes, he scored 7 goals with 6 assists and following theWHL playoffs he finished his season playing two games with the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate in Albany; posting 1 assist.
2009-10: Thought to be a candidate for the NHL's Calder Cup for top rookie entering the season, Boychuk instead spent much of his first season shuffling between the Hurricanes and Albany as the Hurricanes struggled with a veteran lineup. In 52 games with the River Rats, Boychuk scored 15 goals, five of which came on the power play, with 21 assists. In 31 games with Carolina, Boychuk proved he was capable of competing at the NHL level; scoring 3 goals with 9 assists and +1 plus/minus.
2010-11: Boychuk was unable to crack the Hurricanes lineup out of training camp but was called up from Charlotte (AHL) in mid-season; spending almost two months with Carolina. In his sixth game with the Hurricanes against Ottawa he scored two goals including the game-winner but he saw limited time in February and was returned to the AHL. He finished the season with Charlotte. In 23 games with the Hurricanes, he scored 4 goals with 3 assists and was -2 with 4 PMs. Boychuk was the leading scorer for Charlotte during the regular season despite appearing in just 60 games. He scored 22 goals with a team-best 43 assists and was +4 with 48 PMs. Boychuk scored 10 of his 22 goals on the power play. In sixteen AHL playoff games, he had 3 goals with 6 assists and was -2 with 14 PMs.
Talent Analysis
A bit lighter and smaller than ideal NHL forwards, he is highly-skilled and uses hockey smarts to overcome his limitations. Still learning the nuances of pro hockey and sometimes has lapses in the neutral and defensive zones.
Boychuk has been claimed by three teams in the 2012-13 season - Pittsburgh, Nashville, and now he is back with the Hurricanes.
