Henry Charles “The Chief.” Boucha - Born June 1, 1951 in Warroad, Minnesota - Died September 18, 2023 in Twin Cities, Minnesota was a Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native American ice Hockey centre.

- 1972 Winter Olympics Silver Medal Winner with Team USA

Boucha starred on his Warroad high school team, reaching the Minnesota State finals in 1969. He was ranked as 5th greatest player in Minnesota high school Hockey history by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in 2011.

After playing for the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Canada Hockey League during the 1969-70 season, Boucha joined the U.S. Army and played for the United States National Ice Hockey Team on a full-time basis, playing there for 2 seasons, including the 1970 IIHF World Championship Pool B tournament in Romania, helping the USA win and advancing them back into the Pool A for 1971.

Boucha played on Team USA as a 19-year-old at the 1971 IIHF World Championship tournament in Bern, Switzerland and scored seven goals and added one assist in 10 games for the U.S. team that finished 6th.

Boucha then played in the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, scoring 2 goals (6 points), leading Team USA to a Silver Medal.

Boucha got his release from the U.S. Army after the Winter Olympics and joined the Detroit Red Wings, making his NHL debut on February 22, 1972 vs Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Olympia in a 5-4 Red Wings win. He also scored his 1st NHL goal during the game vs Jacques Plante at 9:47 of 2nd period.

During a game vs Montreal Canadiens on January 28, 1973, Boucha set an NHL record for fastest goal from the start of a game by scoring at the 6 second mark of the first period (since broken) at Montreal Forum in a 4-2 Detroit win.

Boucha played in Detroit for 3 seasons before being traded to the Minnesota North Stars in August, 1974. He was having a good season with the North Stars, scoring 12 goals before sustaining a cracked bone around his eye and blurred vision after a Hockey stick swinging fight with Bruins Dave Forbes in the 1st period on January 4, 1975 at Metropolitan Sports Center in a 8-0 Boston win.

Boucha missed 19 games and the injury changed how he played, which affected his career, as after returning, scored just 3 goals in the final 23 games of the season. The North Stars didn't renew his contract at seasons end.

Boucha then signed with the World Hockey Association / WHA Minnesota Fighting Saints for the 1975-76 WHA season, scoring 15 Goals, 20 assists in the first 36 games and was traded back to the NHL by the North Stars, who still had his rights. He played 28 Games for the Kansas City Scouts, scoring 4 goals, 7 assists.

Boucha finished his career with Colorado Rockies, playing 9 games, his last NHL game was on November 10, 1976. He was just 24 years old.

Boucha played in 247 regular season NHL games, scoring 53 goals (6 GWG), 49 assists with 157 penalty minutes and no playoff games.

Boucha was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995.

Boucha was a active supporter of Native American causes and charities and has been quoted as saying - “After Hockey, I found myself in my culture, my traditions, my spirituality. I want young Native Americans to find this strength that we all have been given but don’t always recognize.”

Named the 47th most important sports figure in Minnesota history by Minneapolis Star Tribune.

There is a Biography by Mary Halverson Schoeld called Henry Boucha: Star of the North.

NOTE
Henry wore headbands, which became one of Boucha’s trademarks in the days before helmets were required.