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‘Little Boosh,’ son of former Flyers goalie, drafted by Ottawa Senators in first round

Right winger Tyler Boucher, a Haddonfield resident whose father, Brian, was a Flyers goalie, was selected 10th overall by Ottawa in Friday night's NHL draft.

Right winger Tyler Boucher (second from left) celebrates with his family after being selected by Ottawa in Friday's first round. His dad, Brian, is at left, along with his sister, Brianna (second from right), and his mom, Melissa. The family resides in Haddonfield.
Right winger Tyler Boucher (second from left) celebrates with his family after being selected by Ottawa in Friday's first round. His dad, Brian, is at left, along with his sister, Brianna (second from right), and his mom, Melissa. The family resides in Haddonfield.Read moreProvided by Boucher family

In 1995, the Flyers selected goalie Brian Boucher with the 22nd overall pick in the first round.

Twenty-six years later, his son, Tyler, did even better as he was chosen 12 picks earlier.

“Little Boosh,” a 6-foot-1, 205-pound right winger from Haddonfield who plays with lots of physicality, went to Ottawa with the 10th overall pick in Friday’s first round.

He zoomed up the Senators’ draft board after having been ranked No. 63 by McKeen’s Hockey, No. 49 by TSN’s Craig Button, No. 45 by Elite Prospects, and No. 29 by TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

“I honestly had no idea,” Boucher told reporters after being the sixth forward — and third winger — selected in the draft. “When we were at the table, my dad winked at me and I was kind of confused. They said my name and I just kind of blacked out from there.”

The elder Boucher, now a hockey analyst with ESPN, said Ottawa “did their homework” when they selected his son.

“I’m thrilled. Heck of a day for Tyler,” Boucher said as he was interviewed late Friday on ESPN2. “Really proud of him. He had a really tough year, injury-wise, and he battled through it.”

Tyler Boucher, 18, had two knee injuries and a bout with COVID-19 this year. While injured, he put in extra time in the weight room with Brian Galivan, the strength coach for the United States National Development Team.

“He stayed positive,” Brian Boucher said. “I think eventually that everybody who plays hockey, they’re going to face some adversity. You just don’t know when it’s going to come. For him, it came this year in an important year. He stayed with it and he’s rewarded for it.”

In 12 games last season for the U.S. National Development Team, Boucher had six goals and 11 points for the under-18 team.

Boucher, whose style has been compared to the Capitals’ hard-nosed Tom Wilson, has committed to play at Boston University next season. He believes his feisty style will eventually take him to the NHL.

“You watch the playoffs. A lot of teams have skill, but I think the thing they’re missing is maybe that hard, heavy-nosed game,” said Tyler Boucher, who added he became a forward instead of a goalie because his mom went through “enough trauma” watching his dad in the nets. “For instance, Tampa brings that on every line and every aspect. I think my game fits right into that playoff-hockey style.”

His dad said Ottawa was a team “that’s going to be on the ascent, and hopefully he’ll be a big part of that” down the road.

As a dad, he was filled with emotion.

“It’s overwhelming, truthfully,” he said. “It’s one thing when it happens to you, but when it happens to your child, it’s something that brings out a lot of pride.”