WJSS Report; Sullivan named US Olympic Coach

World Junior Summer Showcase

In the second round of WJSS games in Plymouth, Michigan, Luke Tuch assisted on a pair of goals as USA White defeated Sweden, 4-1. Tuch had scored the only US goal in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Finland. (Box score)

Tyler Boucher scored USA Blue’s first goal and later assisted on another in a high-scoring game, won by Finland, 7-6, in a shootout. Drew Commesso was in net for 34 minutes and stopped 11 of 13 shots. (Box score)

Both US squads are back in action today with White facing Finland and Blue meeting Sweden.

 ● USA Hockey Game recaps

 

NHL Entry Draft

Seventeen Hockey East players or recruits were selected in last week’s NHL Entry Draft, the most of any NCAA conference and nearly one-third of the 56 NCAA selections made. BU had three recruits chosen: Tyler Boucher (Ottawa), Shane Lachance (Edmonton) and Ty Gallagher (Boston).

● HockeyEastOnline report

 

Looking back

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Mike Sullivan, who has been involved with USA Hockey for parts of the last five decades, will serve as head coach of a U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team for the first time.

Welcome aboard, Sully! 🇺🇸 → https://t.co/ygP9S5fBj3 pic.twitter.com/0ZBjSni4Sl

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) July 28, 2021

Former Terrier captain and current Penguins Head Coach Mike Sullivan has been named head coach of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team for the Winter Games set for Beijng, China.

The Marshfield, Massachusetts native, who led the Penguins to two Stanley Cup championships, was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2006 Olympic games in Turin, Italy and head coach of Team USA at the 2007 IIFH World Championships in Russia.

A four-year standout at BU (61-77-138 in 141 games), he captained the 1989-1990 Frozen Four squad that upset top-ranked Michigan State in the regionals (video).

 

 

Chris Kelleher, a two-time second-team All-American who played for BU's 1995 national champions and the 1996 and 1997 Frozen Four squads, is the Director of Pro Scouting for the Minnesota Wild. Sean Skahan, the Wild's strength and conditioning coach, previously held the same position at BU.

● Kelleher Elite Prospects page

 

 

Gallagher to Bruins, Lachance to Edmonton; WJSS begins

On Day 2 of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, two Terrier recruits were selected. Edmonton tabbed 2023 recruit Shane Lachance in the sixth round, while incoming freshman Ty Gallagher was snapped up by the Bruins in the seventh round.

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🎥 #NHLBruins seventh-rounder Ty Gallagher, who is headed to BU, on being drafted by Boston: "I had a great phone interview with Boston. A lot of connections through BU. That was a huge part of this process. Just excited. I love Boston." pic.twitter.com/uD0MSQoPZB

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) July 24, 2021

Gallagher, who committed to BU a month ago after initially being recruited to Notre Dame, spent the last two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program and set a new career record for goals by a defenseman with 25 and had a 14-13-27 line with the U18s last season. At the World U18s in April, he led all defensemen with three goals.

Prior to the NTDP, Gallagher, a Michigan native, played in the Compuware program, skating for its 14U and 16U HPHL championship squads.

Lachance, a 6’4”, 195 lb., power forward, will play in the USHL next season with Youngstown. Last year he had a 6-9-15 line in 25 games with the Junior Bruins following a breakout season (13-9-22) at Tabor Academy.

His father, Scott Lachance, played for BU’s 1991 national finalist squad before a long NHL career with the Islanders, Montreal, Vancouver and Columbus and multiple appearances in the World Championships. He’s currently Head of US Scouting for the New Jersey Devils.

Shane also is the grandson of legendary BU Head Coach Jack Parker, who amassed 897 victories and three national championships during his 40 years behind the Terrier bench.

● GoTerriers.com Gallagher selected by Bruins on Day Two

● NHL.com Getting to Know Ty Gallagher

● Edmonton Journal Oilers select towering left winger Shane Lachance

 

World Junior Summer Showcase

Four Terriers took part in the opening games of the WJSS in Plymouth, Michigan. In USA White’s 2-1 loss to Finland, Luke Tuch (photo) produced his team’s only tally, scoring on a power play, late in the second period.

In USA Blue’s 4-2 win against Sweden, Drew Commesso stopped 21 of 22 shots in the game’s first 40 minutes. Dylan Peterson assisted on the second US goal, while Tyler Boucher had five shots on goal and was +1.

● USA Hockey Game recaps

Senators make Boucher the 10th overall draft pick--UPDATED

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Congrats to incoming freshman Tyler Boucher on being selected 10th overall by the @Senators!#ProudToBU pic.twitter.com/UDrgYeeQ72

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) July 24, 2021

Incoming freshman Tyler Boucher was selected at #10 by Ottawa tonight in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 6’1”, 205 lb., right-wing is the 11^th Terrier drafted in the first round since 2015—beginning with Jack Eichel. Overall, he’s the 21^st Terriers taken in the initial round. The first was David Quinn in 1984.

Ottawa had previously selected Brady Tkachuk, at #4 overall in the 2018 Entry Draft. The Senators also had tabbed Shane Bowers at #28 overall in 2017, but traded his rights to Colorado.

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Ottawa - where Brady Tkachuk stars - turns to BU again at No. 10, selecting Tyler Boucher pic.twitter.com/pUEDhFbbuB

— College Hockey Inc. (@collegehockey) July 24, 2021

Boucher’s selection so early in the draft was somewhat surprising as he was ranked #25 among North Americans by NHL Central Scouting after missing most of his season with the NTDP U18s due to pneumonia and a knee injury. (See July 22 blog post below).

"For us, he's a power forward," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said when he addressed the media on Friday. "He's a guy with great speed and uses his body. One of the things he does well is his ability to finish and score goals from outside the dots but also close to the net and inside the paint."

Elite Prospects scouting profile:

There's no player more physical in the draft class. Sometimes, it's a small nudge, an extra cross-check, or a smart play to cut off the hands. There's also plenty of bone-crushing hits along the boards. His physical game is insane. Perfectly balancing scoring and supporting positioning, he's always a passing option. He's also a crafty shooter, shooting under defenders' sticks or changing the angle.

The Haddonfield, N.J., native scored nine goals and recorded five assists in 14 games during his shortened final NTDP season.

With the Senators selection of Boucher, following four Michigan Wolverines in the first five picks, half of the top 10 players chosen are NCAA, the first time ever in the NHL draft.

Tyler’s father, Brian Boucher, a former NHL goalie and now an TV analyst, also was a first-round pick, taken at #22 by the Flyers in 1995.

The Entry Draft continues Saturday with rounds two through seven. 

● GoTerriers.com report

● TSN Instant Analysis by Craig Button (video)

● NHL.com Senators draft Boucher #10 overall 

● NHL Tonight on Tyler Boucher (video)

● NHL.com Analysis of first-round picks

● Ottawa Citizen report

● College Hockey Inc NCAA Players & Recruits drafted in the first round by NHL