The path to success often presents obstacles. Boychuk skated that path and found the ultimate success.
Though drafted in 2002, the 6-foot-2, 227-pound defenseman didn't establish himself in the NHL until the 2009-10 season, but he's been an impact player ever since.
The path to success often presents obstacles. Boychuk skated that path and found the ultimate success.
Though drafted in 2002, the 6-foot-2, 227-pound defenseman didn't establish himself in the NHL until the 2009-10 season, but he's been an impact player ever since.
At the age of 16, Boychuk began his first full season with Calgary in the Western Hockey League in 2000-01 and scored four goals and 12 points in 66 games. In 2001-02, Boychuk's production jumped to eight goals and 40 points and he was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the second round (No. 61) in the 2002 NHL Draft.
Boychuk's pro career started in 2004-05 with Hershey in the American Hockey League. That kick-started a five-year AHL run that included stints with Lowell, Albany, Lake Erie and Providence. During that span he appeared in a total of five games in the NHL, making his NHL debut with Colorado on Jan. 5, 2008, but was traded to the Boston Bruins on June 24, 2008.
Boychuk experienced a breakthrough season while playing with Providence in 2008-09, leading AHL defensemen in goals (20), assists (46) and points (66), and was named the Eddie Shore Award winner as the top defenseman in the AHL while earning First Team All-Star status.
Boychuk made the Bruins roster out of training camp in 2009, but was a healthy scratch for most of the first two months and ended up back in Providence on a conditioning assignment. He was called back in early December and scored his first career NHL goal in his first game back, on Dec. 5, 2009, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Boychuk finished with five goals and 15 points in 51 games and finally established himself as a solid, two-way defenseman who can play a physical style.
In 2010-11, he helped Boston to a Stanley Cup championship, finishing the postseason with three goals, nine points and a plus-12 rating in 25 games.
After three more seasons with the Bruins, including another trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013, Boychuk was traded to the New York Islanders on Oct. 4, 2014. He settled into a top pairing role and finished the next two seasons with a combined 18 goals, 60 points and a plus-32 rating.
