Rangers sign Miami University forward

The Kitchener Rangers announced on Sunday the signing of left winger Jesse Boucher from the University of Miami at Ohio of the NCAA.

Boucher, a 19-year-old Markham native, scored 51 goals and 91 points with the Tier II Markham Waxers last season. He scored one goal in seven games in the NCAA this season.

Boucher made his debut with the Rangers is a 2-2 tie against the Guelph Storm on Sunday. He will attend Wilfrid Laurier University while playing with the Rangers.

“It was a bit of a letdown,” Boucher told the Kitchener-Waterloo Record about his time in the NCAA. “I was playing every other game, which is what I expected. But it still wasn’t as much fun as I thought it would be. It was two games a week. I wanted to play (more).”

Boucher is the latest college player who left the NCAA to play in the OHL this season. In October, the Erie Otters signed Bowling Green defenceman Matt Lynn and the Guelph Storm signed Niagara University centre Matt Ryan.

Matt Foy, a sixth round pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2002, left Merrimack University in the summer to join the Ottawa 67’s. He is second in the OHL scoring race behind linemate Corey Locke with 35 goals and 81 points in 40 games.