Boris Katchouk

March 2019 – Katchouk’s first pro season with the AHL’s Crunch has been somewhat underwhelming, though that could be in part due to his limited role in a stacked Syracuse lineup. Katchouk has mostly found himself in Syracuse’s bottom six, more specifically their fourth line as of late, and sits on the season at nine goals and 19 points in 60 games. He hasn’t yet shown the offensive upside that was present in Junior with the Greyhounds, but perhaps in 2019-20 with the increased ice time he can develop into a potent AHL contributor and eventually find his way up to the big club in Tampa Bay. Despite the slow start to his pro career, Katchouk does remain one of Tampa’s top prospects, and though I don’t see top-line potential for him at the moment, I’m fairly confident he’ll play games at the NHL level in some meaningful capacity. Brandon Holmes

March 2018 – Katchouk continues to lead the dominant Soo Greyhounds in goals toward the completion of the OHL season, with 41. The left-winger has risen to a new level this season, and will have the option to return to return to the OHL next season as an over-ager. The Lightning’s cap situation seems to be figuring itself out in ways that make it difficult to see Katchouk in serious contention for an NHL role next fall, though he’s certainly showing that he will be a capable NHLer in the future. Whenever the winger does decide to go pro, we’ll likely see him as one of the first choices to be recalled to the big club at some point through that season. Brayden Olafson

January 2018 – Katchouk is certainly getting some recognition and adding value to his name after returning to the Greyhounds with a gold medal from the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo. The first of the Lightning’s three second-round selections in the 2016 entry draft, Katchouk is finally getting some well-deserved attention on a larger stage. After developing some chemistry with former OHL opponent Taylor Raddysh at the Christmas tournament, Katchouk will return to Sault Saint Marie with him as team-mates as the result of an OHL blockbuster. The two offensive weapons will solidify the Greyhounds, who were already dominant, as the favorite to come out of Ontario to the Memorial Cup in Regina this May. Brayden Olafson

September 2017 – Katchouk has received an excellent opportunity in the Lightning preseason and shown flashes of NHL readiness. His skating and overall awareness have led to offensive success, but the junior eligible forward has been caught on the wrong end of some scoring chances for the opposition. At times, he seems unsure of his defensive positioning which could be a simple matter of playing in an unfamiliar environment, with unfamiliar pressure. Nonetheless, Katchouk is extremely confident with the puck on his stick, and when travelling up ice without it. Katchouk was cut by the Lightning after his second pre-season game and returned to the Greyhounds for his final year of junior – he’ll be eligible to play in the AHL in 2018-19. Brayden Olafson

June 2017 – Hockey Canada announced their camp-roster for the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase this week, with Greyhounds forward, Katchouk cracking the group of 25 forwards, 17 of which joined him on stage at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He’s not a lock to make the team, however Katchouk will certainly challenge for a spot on the wing with Team Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championships in Buffalo. Katchouk will then play one more year with the Greyhounds before transitioning into the Lightning’s farm system where the second-round pick will likely spend a year or two being forced to improve his skating before earning time in the NHL. Brayden Olafson

April 2017 – Katchouk’s season came to an end at the hands of the Owen Sound Attack in the second round of OHL playoffs. After getting out to a 2-0 series lead, the Greyhounds were unable to close, losing four straight to the Attack. It wasn’t for a lack of trying though, at least from Katchouk’s perspective – the second-round-pick scored in three of the last four games, besides adding two assists in the two winning games. A well-rounded season, as well as a superior playoff performance, earned him an entry-level deal with the Lightning, he’ll hope to join the Crunch in their AHL playoff run, where they’ve split the first two games with the St. John’s IceCaps. Brayden Olafson

March 2017 – Katchouk has been contributing consistently for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL who are in the midst of a competitive playoff series against the Flint Firebirds. Though there are certainly bigger fish seeking the OHL title, this series will certainly reveal a little more of what the second-round pick has to offer in terms of competitive nature. Boris was voted top penalty killer in the OHL this season in the annual coaches poll. The accolade will certainly resonate with the Lightning development team, has a collection of intriguing two-way forwards working their way up the pipeline. Brayden Olafson