The Boston University men’s hockey team will be adding some new faces to the roster this season, notably, Tyler Boucher and Ty Gallagher. The winger and defenseman both found NHL homes in the 2021 Entry Draft that started on July 23, and will sport the scarlet and white sweater come October.
The Ottawa Senators selected Boucher tenth overall in the draft, an impressive first round pick placement that BU should be excited about. Fellow Terrier Brady Tkachuck took the trip from Comm Ave to the Canadian Tire Centre after also being drafted by the Senators in 2018, so Boucher is in good––if not great––company.
Boucher spent the last two years with the U.S. National Development Team Program and is currently playing in the 2021 World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan, where he and his family watched the draft. The 18-year-old is known for his relentless physicality and offensive talent, adding an edge to the Terrier bench this season.
Gallagher had a cinderella-story type draft. Selected by the Boston Bruins in the seventh round, the two-way defenseman will really get to call Boston home with the opportunity to play at both the collegiate and professional level in Beantown. Gallagher expressed his excitement about attending BU in the fall during a Bruins media call on Saturday.
“Just the tradition of BU is great. You always hear about them whether it’s the national championship or the NCAA tournament or The Beanpot. It’s just a great organization, great coaching staff, and I think it’s really going to set me up for the next step in my career (…) I’m looking forward to the next four years there,” he said.
Other freshmen projected to make an appearance on opening night against the University of Connecticut are forwards Brian Carrabes and Tristan Amonte, as well as defenseman Braden Doyle.
Carrabes spent the last two seasons in the USHL on the Sioux City Musketeers and led his team in points with 40 during their 2020-2021 campaign. Also spending time in the USHL, Doyle was on the Dubuque Fighting Saints prior to BU and collected 24 points this season, the most of any defenseman on the squad.
In the BCHL, Amonte was a member of the Penticton Vees for the past two years and is joining his brother Ty Amonte, the redshirt senior forward, on Comm Ave. It’s truly a family affair seeing that the pair’s father, Tony Amonte, was also a Terrier in the 1990’s.
Adding depth in both experience and age, the Terriers recently acquired junior forward Matt Brown from the UMass Lowell Riverhawks. Brown was part of the group that ousted BU from the Hockey East Tournament in the quarterfinals last March, but will switch alliances as he enters Agganis Arena.
While the countdown to the season continues, the Terriers have a lot to look forward to and work with in the approaching months. The team is out for redemption after a rocky ending to last year’s campaign and hopefully these new faces will help get the scarlet and white back on track for the organization’s 100th season.
Welcome back Belle and nice article on our incoming freshmen! I still am disappointed about Schmidt deciding to go the major junior route. I was so looking forward to seeing him lay guys out. Having said that, I am excited to see this team. IMO we should have a preseason ranking of no worse then #2 in Hockey East. BTW, do you think that NHL team that we both seem to like will land Eichel?
Yes, belle, as Glen has stated, good overview of the upcoming Terriers.
Should have a solid squad next year and as the across town Pro team BU trying to get a little more physical in their game. As I have stated before the reason we do not get these kids who go to Canadian pro Jr’s is that their pro teams tell them that HE and BU plays a “soft” game. Witness the two BU skaters for the Bruins who get banged up all the time. Great hockey players but came from this “soft” system. My thought anyway.
Keep up the great work of reporting
Sons of charchili soft system. nhl players soft. Do you have any idea how hard it is to play at that level. Mccavoy is one of the best players in the game. There is nothing soft about the amount of ice time he plays and he’s a great ambassador for bu hockey. I have faith that this team is going to be real good I have faith in the coaching staff and the players. Max caufman Logan Cockerel ty Amonte Alex Vlacic are great leaders. These kids will be ready this program puts out great teams year after year because they are talented kids who out work there opponents. Everyone on this blog knows my allegiance is with this team and everyone is entitled to say what they want it’s a free country but I will stick up for this program because I know what it means to current and past players to be a part of this program. This team will shine this year . Go bu 🐾
With all due respect Colin, I have seen college hockey years ago and there is no question the game is softer today.not McAvoy’s fault he played in a soft league but it has hurt him. The other D man on Bruins Grizlick tough unto himself but not big enough. Fensore the same here at BU. Gets killed in corner. Should be a forward.you can see I am right when coach brings in bigger and tougher guys
Go BU !!!!!
SoCC, I believe that the question of you being “right” will ultimately be answered when we see how Fensore performs and how the team performs when he does have a bigger, tougher stay-at-home d-man to be his partner on D. Schmidt would have been the perfect guy.
Son of chirachelli the game of hockey has changed to some degree at all levels not just bu. If anything players need to be more skilled the game favors skaters because a lot of the clutching and grabbing used to slow someone down are now called for penalties. The physical play is still there in hockey. I’m all for bu getting some big boys case in point Vlacic but it’s not the end all be all. There are plenty of small guys who excel at the college and pro ranks. To me the importance of size and skilled players is how they interact together on the ice. Not sure what hockey rink you were watching but Dom Fensore has not been getting killed in the corner. Yes he’s undersized but to say he gets killed in corners is just plain false. I was hearing the same thing a few years ago about Farrence. Dom is tough as nails he has the heart of a lion and he has tremendous strength on his skates . There is not a better skating defenseman in the league. Dom’s offensive production will be huge this year. Not sure why some have to be negative before season even begins. Go bu 🐾
Not saying this to be coy but if you think Mccavoy Grizylick or even Fensore are soft just think what you would do if you were coming down on them 1 on 1 if you answer truthfully you would not be saying what your saying. I don’t apologize for being a bu hockey fan that’s who I am . Look out the bu 21-22 train is rolling down the tracks bound to pick up speed if your to busy knocking them on this blog your bound to get run over.
Colon,
My days of playing are far behind me but if I were to go into a corner with a Fensore I would knock him over. he is way to small to play D. I understand that a smaller person could offset that by being great on O but has Fensore done that ???In 50 games he has 5 goals and 24 total points while playing a regular shift. OK for a strong D man but not for someone who is on for his O. Last year only 2 goals and 7 assists in 15 games , one power play goal, and as i say, not good.
My point is that to win championships one has to be tougher, a LOT tougher.
As to your saying that in former times hitting made the game slower you are so wrong. You could have not seen the hard hitting and VERY FAST BU teams of the past. You know the PAST when we won championships so often it almost got boring.
You are a good BU fan but a bit to close to the action to make good judgments as to what is really going on during games.
AS you say GO BU !!!!!!
To the Grizz and McAvoy situation the Bruins went out and got bigger men to supplement their D Corps. Again, I am right . case closed !!!!!
Son Carlchi you are correct I am close to bu hockey have been for a while you can knock the programs approach all you want and I will continue to back the program and it’s players. If you knock a player like Fensore who most certainly affects the offense in a positive way and he can play D. I will call you out. If you played D1 hockey maybe your claim is accurate but if not your just throwing jiberish against the keyboard hoping something sticks so if bu stumbles out of the gate you can say see I told you so. I have seen bu win all sorts of championships from beanpots to national championships but times are different in today’s college hockey there are more then 5 dominant teams in the country so for bu to be near the top year after year debunks your claims and there record proves that. It’s clear I’m pulling for these kids and your not . You say your right and I say I’m right but at the end of the day if your right your still not loyal to your team what good is it to be a fan of a team you don’t root for it’s puzzling to me. We will have to agree to disagree. Go bu
My boy Colon,
Did you play Div I college hockey in order to comment ? You claim to have seen National Championships. You don’t seem that old. It has been over 12 years since the last.
Because I state the obvious does not mean I do not support the team. I realize there are more good teams now but BC has wonmany more in the recent past and has beaten us at a higher rate than our glory years.
So something is wrong. Every player is not “great” and we must return to being a school where a player goes to BU for an education and not looking to his agent for a pro career all the time there is a positive correlation between retention of players and championships . we have not have had that.
The break down last year after a great start shows we need retention and tougher play. Look to the the last few NCAA Champions to see what I mean.
Son of cezar I have been following bu hockey for over 35 years and to say follow is a misrepresentation I’m glued to it I have the same enthusiasm and passion for the program today that I had when I was a little boy. To answer your question no I did not play D1 college hockey. I did play college hockey however and I know hockey I have been around it my whole life player coach fan. I did not have to play D1 to see how good mccavoy and Gryzlick are they play in the nhl to play pro hockey at any level never mind the nhl you have to be great at what you do. In Fensore case you have to be the best of your age group to play at bu the talent level is high. I said it before Dom plays clean but he has a mean streak in him he plays the game like he’s 6-5 . I only mention D1 to you because that’s the only guys who can claim they could beat someone like Fensore 1-1 I know he would run me over your day dreaming if you think you would run him over in the corner. By the way have you seen our D this year you need a step ladder to say hi to them there is your size which is a good thing balance
That is my whole point Colin as to your last comment about D size. In pro or college it is important as you see the Bruins and BU in a parallel situation as to adding new D men.
I could have run him over in the corner as he is an outstanding pure hockey talent but you have to do much more on O if you do not “clean up ” on D . He showed more on O when he started but last year not much at all.
Fensore would be good as a fourth line guy and on power play. (like a seventh D man)
Why will this year be any different from the last 3 years? AOC has a 500 record at best and that is while coaching 3 first round draft picks plus one other player in the NHL
We have no returning players that have scored more then 8 goals in one season in a BU uniform.
Playoff record is 2-4
I will have to see it before I believe it
I have to agree that we have been down for some time but with your coach leaving and other asst. coaches also. continuity of outstanding program took a hit.
But this year we have much older players and with it needed experience. Scoring ? Yes, although we have guys who have done it in Jr’s.
We need some players to stay until their Sr years. I have not looked but i believe the NCAA Champions of recent years have had squads of players who have been with team for long time.
The season has not even started and we have skepticism. Let’s see what happens. Coach OConnell is a tremendous recruiter always has been he knows the game he knows the players he is looking for. We have great leadership who love playing for him. Too me loyalty means something. If your a fan of a team your a fan of a team you can’t jump on and off. I’m pulling for this team and this coach. Everyone wants to win a National championship but this team did well last year. If you went to any other team in hockey East and asked them if you make it to ncaa tournament is the season a success everyone would say yes. Now please don’t misinterpret what I’m saying I want to win a National championship I think coach has put out a team to be able to do it but I’m realistic as well. I certainly have not given up on them on august 15. Go bu 🐾
They have as much chance as winning a national championship as Robert Morris
Ok Colin….tremendous recruiter
We should have 9 seniors this year but we have 0
1 is in the NHL and the other 8 have been dismissed
I would not call that tremendous
Ozzie,
When are you going to learn, that facts are irrelevant to Colin?