Henry Boucha

Henry Charles Boucha pronounced ;Minnesota North Stars 1974–75 Media Guide (profile on page 24). Retrieved October 29, 2022. June 1, 1951 – September 18, 2023) was a Native American professional ice hockey center. Boucha played in both the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1971 and 1977. In the NHL he played for the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, Kansas City Scouts, and Colorado Rockies, while he played for the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA. His career was cut short by an eye injury by Dave Forbes. Internationally Boucha played for the American national team at two World Championships and at the 1972 Winter Olympics, where he won a silver medal.
A full-blooded Chippewa Ojibwa, Boucha's distant cousin Gary Sargent and his second cousin T. J. Oshie have also played in the NHL.
==Amateur career==
Boucha played high school hockey for Warroad High School in Warroad, Minnesota, leading his team to the 1969 state tournament where he was injured during a 5–4 overtime loss to Edina. He is considered one of the best players to ever play Minnesota high school hockey.
While serving in the U.S. Army, Boucha joined the United States national ice hockey team on a full-time basis in 1970 as the U.S. won the "Pool B" qualification tournament. He participated in the 1971 Ice Hockey World Championships in Bern, Switzerland where he scored seven goals in ten games for Team USA. Boucha was also one of the biggest stars of the 1972 United States Olympic hockey team which received the silver medal.
==Professional career==
Boucha was drafted in the second round, 16th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft (he was also drafted first overall by the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the rival WHA but chose not to defect to the WHA). Boucha scored a goal in his first NHL game after the Olympics and was voted Detroit rookie of the year in his first full NHL season. The Red Wings sent him to the Minnesota North Stars in exchange for Danny Grant in 1974. Boucha was enjoying a solid year in his home state; on January 4, 1975, he was assaulted in a highly publicized stick incident by Dave Forbes of the Boston Bruins. The attack left Boucha with a cracked bone around his eye and blurred vision. Forbes was prosecuted for aggravated assault. His trial resulted in a hung jury.
Boucha never really recovered from the injury. He attempted a comeback with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA in 1975–76 and then returned to the NHL as a free agent with the Kansas City Scouts in later 1975-76. In 1976 the franchise moved to Denver, Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies, from whom he retired from professional hockey after only nine games.
Before the NHL required players to wear a helmet, Boucha wore a headband. His nickname was "the Chief".
==Post career==
Boucha fell on hard times due to his unexpectedly early retirement from hockey (his agent was negotiating a four-year contract with the North Stars but the talks were never completed due to the injury). He went through a period of divorce and drug and alcohol abuse before straightening out his life in the 1980s. He re-established himself in his native community and became active in various Native American causes.
Henry Boucha died on September 18, 2023, at the age of 72.Warroad state hockey tournament legend Henry Boucha dies at 72
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1965–66 	Warroad High School 	HS-MN 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1966–67 	Warroad High School 	HS-MN 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1967–68 	Warroad High School 	HS-MN 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1968–69 	Warroad High School 	HS-MN 		25 	60 	35 	95 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1969–70 	Winnipeg Jets 	WCHL 		51 	27 	26 	53 	37 		14 	6 	3 	9 	37
1971–72 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		16 	1 	0 	1 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1972–73 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		73 	14 	14 	28 	82 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1972–73 	Virginia Wings 	AHL 		7 	3 	2 	5 	9 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1973–74 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		70 	19 	12 	31 	32 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1974–75 	Minnesota North Stars 	NHL 		51 	15 	14 	29 	23 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Minnesota Fighting Saints	WHA 		36 	15 	20 	35 	47 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Kansas City Scouts 	NHL 		28 	4 	7 	11 	14 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1976–77 	Colorado Rockies 	NHL 		9 	0 	2 	2 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
WHA totals	WHA totals 	WHA totals		36 	15 	20 	35 	47 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		247 	53 	49 	102 	157 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A	Pts	PIM
1970 	United States	WC-B 	 	7 	4 	1	5 	4
1971 	United States	WC 	 	10	7 	1	8 	2
1972 	United States	Oly 	 	6 	2 	4	6 	6
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	23	13	6	19 	12
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and achievements==
* Detroit Red Wings rookie of the year, 1972–73
* Inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995.
==International play==
* Ice hockey world championships, Pool B, 1970 (first, won promotion to Pool A)
* Ice hockey world championships, Pool A, 1971 (sixth place)
* Olympic tournament, 1972 (second place)
==See also==
* List of members of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
==References==
==External links==
* 
* Profile at Hockeydraftcentral.com
Category:Born in 1951
Category:2023 deaths
Category:American men's ice hockey centers
Category:Colorado Rockies (NHL) players
Category:Detroit Red Wings draft picks
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Ice hockey players from Minnesota
Category:Ice hockey players at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Category:Kansas City Scouts players
Category:Medalists at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Category:Warroad Lakers players
Category:Minnesota Fighting Saints players
Category:Minnesota North Stars players
Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in ice hockey
Category:United States Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Virginia Wings players
Category:Winnipeg Jets (WHL) players
Boucha, Henry
Boucha, Henry
Category:Retired in 1976
Category:Aboriginal ice hockey players