Joel Bouchard is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on January 23, 1974, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Bouchard began his hockey career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Verdun Collège Français in 1991. He played for the team for three seasons, during which he was named the QMJHL's top defenseman in 1994-95.
In 1995, Bouchard was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the first round, 22nd overall. He made his NHL debut with the Flames in the 1996-97 season and played for the team for two seasons before being traded to the Nashville Predators in 1998. Bouchard played for the Predators for two seasons before being traded to the Dallas Stars in 2000.
Bouchard played for the Stars for one season before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2001. He played for the Coyotes for two seasons before being traded to the New York Rangers in 2003. Bouchard played for the Rangers for one season before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2004. He played for the Penguins for one season before being traded to the New York Islanders in 2005.
Bouchard played for the Islanders for one season before retiring from professional hockey in 2006. During his NHL career, Bouchard played in 364 games, scoring 24 goals and 70 assists for a total of 94 points. He was known for his defensive skills and physical play, as well as his leadership on and off the ice.
After retiring from professional hockey, Bouchard became involved in coaching and management. He served as an assistant coach for the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada from 2009 to 2011 before becoming the team's head coach in 2011. Bouchard led the Armada to the QMJHL championship in 2012 and was named the league's coach of the year.
In 2012, Bouchard was hired as the director of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. He held the position for two seasons before being named the head coach of the team in 2014. Bouchard coached the Bulldogs for two seasons before leaving the team in 2016.
In 2017, Bouchard was named the head coach and general manager of the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the team he had previously coached. He led the team to the QMJHL championship in 2018 and was named the league's coach of the year for the second time in his career.
Overall, Joel Bouchard had a successful hockey career as a player and has continued to make an impact in the sport as a coach and manager.
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