Devils' pick Boucher signs with Sarnia Sting
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Forward Reid Boucher, a fourth-round selection by the New Jersey Devils in the 2011 Entry Draft, has signed a contract with the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting.
Boucher is the second player from the U.S. National Team Development Team to sign with the Sting in the last 24 hours. Defenseman Connor Murphy, taken by the Phoenix Coyotes with the 20th pick of the first round, opted to sign with the Sting on Thursday rather than attend Miami University in the fall.
Boucher was selected in the 14th round by Sarnia in the 2009 OHL draft.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This caps off a great week for our hockey club," Sting head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu told the team's website. "First to be able to sign Connor Murphy and now to add a player the caliber of Reid is very exciting for us. Reid is a pure goal scorer and a big game player who played some of his best hockey in leading his country to a gold medal at the Under-18 World Championships."
Boucher, who will forgo an opportunity to attend Michigan State, becomes the fifth member of the 2011 draft class to opt for the OHL instead of the NCAA in the past 15 days. Goalie John Gibson will play for the Kitchener Rangers instead of attending the University of Michigan, forward J.T. Miller will play for the Plymouth Whalers instead of attending the University of North Dakota and defenseman Jamieson Oleksiak will play for the Saginaw Spirit instead of returning to Northeastern.
Boucher, who attended Devils' rookie camp earlier this month, was a teammate of Murphy, Gibson and Miller on the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2010-11.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mike_morreale