WICHITA, Kan. (August 10) – The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, AHL's San Jose Barracuda and powered by Toyota, are excited to announce the hiring of Joey Bouchard as the team's new Director of Scouting and Advisor to Hockey Operations. 

"Joey brings a wealth of experience to our staff, having worked across every level of the game in Canada," stated Head Coach Travis Clayton. "His extensive hockey knowledge and keen eye for talent make him an invaluable addition to our hockey club." 

Bouchard joins the Thunder after a successful season as Director of Scouting with the Kansas City Mavericks this past year. He brings more than 18 years of experience as a hockey executive, head coach, general manager, and director of scouting across professional, major junior, university, and junior hockey. 

"I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Travis again," said Bouchard. "Having worked with him previously, I know the leadership, passion and commitment he brings. I’m looking forward to joining the Thunder organization and helping build a successful culture and hockey program."

Widely respected as a talent evaluator and program builder, Bouchard has extensive hockey operations experience at the major junior level in Canada as well as NCAA and Canadian collegiate levels. He has led scouting departments, roster construction, player development initiatives, and organizational strategy.

Throughout his career, Bouchard has built a reputation for developing winning programs and advancing players to the next level. He has earned championship titles and Coach of the Year honors while helping numerous players reach the NHL, including Brandon Hagel, Derek Ryan, Samuel Girard, Mathieu Olivier, and Simon Benoit.

During his tenure with the Whitecourt Wolverines, Bouchard led a dramatic organizational turnaround, improving the team’s point total by 49 points in a single season and guiding the club to a 90-point campaign, a .750 winning percentage, and an eighth-place national ranking in Canada. Under his leadership, more than 50 players advanced to NCAA Division I, Western Hockey League, and USPORTS programs over a four-year span, further establishing his reputation as one of the game’s premier talent evaluators and player developers.

Bouchard has accumulated more than 400 career coaching victories and a .669 winning percentage. He was named ACAC Coach of the Year at Concordia University after leading the program to the most successful season in its history. He also contributed to a Canada West championship with the University of Alberta Golden Bears and helped guide the Shawinigan Cataractes to a Top-10 national ranking.

In addition to his hockey operations roles, Bouchard is the founder of PROspect Mental Performance Training. He holds a Master of Education in Coaching and Leadership, a Bachelor of Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and French. He also holds Hockey Canada’s NCCP High Performance 1 coaching certification.

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