Frank Boucher

Lore & Background

Boucher was the youngest son in a family of six sons and two daughters. Three of his brothers also played in the NHL, including Georges, who was also inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Boucher attended Crichton Public School but dropped out at age thirteen, working as an office boy for the federal government munitions department during World War I. After the war, he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and moved west.

While in Lethbridge, he played for the Lethbridge Vets and organized Mountie teams. He returned to Ottawa to play for the Senators in 1921–22, then played for the Vancouver Maroons until 1926. His rights were sold to the Boston Bruins, but Conn Smythe bought him for $1500 on the advice of Bill Cook, making Boucher a member of the original New York Rangers team.

Boucher centered the famous Bread Line with Bill and Bun Cook, helping the Rangers win the Stanley Cup in 1928 and 1933. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy seven times in eight years and was given the trophy outright. He later coached the New York Rovers minor-league team before becoming Rangers coach in 1939–40, leading them to the Stanley Cup. During the 1943–44 season, he came out of retirement for 15 games at age 42, recording 14 points; he was the oldest position player ever to play in the NHL until Doug Harvey surpassed him in 1968.

Boucher and Cecil Duncan collaborated on rule changes, including introducing the centre ice red line in 1943–44. He became general manager after Lester Patrick retired, and in 1945–46 became the first coach to use two goalies regularly. He resigned as general manager in 1955 after a 29-year association with the Rangers.

Reader's Guide

Boucher's significance lies in his multifaceted contributions to the New York Rangers as a player, coach, and general manager over 29 years. He was a key member of the original Rangers team and centered the Bread Line, which helped the franchise win its first two Stanley Cups as a player. As coach, he led the Rangers to their 1940 Stanley Cup, the last Cup the franchise would win for 54 years. His innovations included the introduction of the centre ice red line with Cecil Duncan, which opened up the game, and being the first coach to regularly use two goalies.

As general manager, he made trades that got the Rangers into the playoffs in 1947–48 and hired Lynn Patrick, who nearly won the Stanley Cup in 1950. Despite later struggles, Boucher's tenure defined the Rangers' early success. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958 and ranked number 61 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players in 1998. His uniform number 7 hangs in the rafters of Madison Square Garden, though it was retired for Rod Gilbert.