Off to Anaheim, Brandon: Ducks Land a Gem in Bochenski

Brandon Bochenski has never had a chance to prove he's capable of being a quality NHL forward.

Why?

Simple: The youngster's been traded four times over his two-and-a-half year NHL career.

Earlier this week, the Boston Bruins shipped Bochenski to the Anaheim Ducks for journeyman blueliner Shane Hnidy. The trade allows the Ducks to keep six solid defensemen in rotation, as they welcomed Scott Niedermayer back to the lineup before the Christmas break.

However, it's the Ducks who got the gem in the deal.

Bochenski, 25, was a late-bloomer. After being selected in the seventh round of the 2001 Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators, Bochenski spent three impressive years at the University of North Dakota, where he compiled 154 points in 120 career games. He then joined the AHL's Binghamton Senators in the NHL lockout year, registering 70 points in 75 games.

Bochenski began the 2005-06 NHL season starting on a line with Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley in Ottawa. He was soon dropped to the fourth line, though, then sent back to Binghamton for the remainder of the season.

During the summer of 2006, Bochenski was part of a three-team trade that saw him and teammate Martin Havlat join the Chicago Blackhawks. Halfway through his first season in the Windy City, Bochenski was picked up on waivers by the Boston Bruins. He caught fire immediately, recording 11 goals and 11 assists in the 31 games in which he dressed for the Bruins.

As Boston struggled early on this season, so did Bochenski. He tallied only six assists in 20 games, and was given very limited ice-time by coach Claude Julien. That said, Bochenski was still one of few Bruin players to have a plus-minus rating above zero.

After doing a stint with the AHL's Providence Bruins, Bochenski was often a healthy scratch in Boston. He wasn't given a chance to get on track, making him easy trade-bait as the Bruins sought an experienced defenseman.

That turned out to be good news for Anaheim.

The move is a win-win for the Ducks. They get Niedermayer back, and make room for him by giving up Hnidy to gain a young talent in Bochenski.

Bochenski's style of hard-nosed hockey will fit in perfectly with his new team. Coach Randy Carlyle won't hesitate to give him every opportunity to prove himself.

Why teams have given up on Bochenski is beyond me. He was a late-rounder who showed a lot of promise and has played solid hockey at every level.

Now let's see what he can do for the Ducks.

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