Sabres make two trades

The Fort Frances Jr. Sabres have their playoff roster in place after dealing away defenceman JP Boucha while acquiring blueliner Rod Bouchard at the final trade deadline.
The Sabres acquired Bouchard from the Chase Chiefs of the KIJHL (B.C.) for future considerations, and received future considerations from the Schreiber Diesels for Boucha.
“I think we added some more depth to our ‘D,’ which we definitely needed,” Sabres’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan said.
“Rod is . . . I guess you could describe him as a total player,” added Strachan.
“He plays rugged, he’s not afraid to get his nose dirty, and on the other side of it, he can play the game and he’s got a lot of skill, a very nice shot, and he’ll be a big part of our stretch run right now.”
The 18-year-old Bouchard, a Thunder Bay native who brings a sizable body to the Sabres’ blueline at 5’11” and 190 pounds, will be available for the team’s series against the Fort William North Stars tonight and tomorrow.
In practices, Bouchard has been paired with Mario Boivin, who have played together earlier in their careers. Strachan said Bouchard will need some time to get to know the Sabres’ systems, but should see time on the power play against Fort William.
Bouchard comes to the Sabres having notched four goals and six assists in 24 games with the Chiefs, along with 136 minutes in penalties.
Boucha, meanwhile, had three goals and an assist in his 22 games with the Sabres. He was better known for his grit, which earned him 42 penalty minutes over that span.
With the roster deadline now behind the team, Strachan is stuck with his roster through to the end of the post-season—which he said is fine by him.
“Our roster will be set at 23 and this is the team we’re gonna go with,” he remarked.
“I think we’ve came a long way from the beginning [of the season] and if we keep improving on a few situations in our systems, I think it should be exciting for the rest of the year and playoffs,” he added.