Inferno Signs Buffalo's Boulton

[VodkaFish]

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Columbia Inferno have announced the signing of Buffalo Sabres left wing Eric Boulton, who is expected to be in the lineup for the Inferno on Friday at Charlotte.

Boulton began his professional career with Charlotte, scoring 25 points (11g-14a) with 325 penalty minutes in 44 regular season games for the Checkers in 1996-97. Selected by the New York Rangers in the ninth round (234th overall) in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Boulton also had an assist in three playoff games for Charlotte while also playing in the American Hockey League with Binghamton, scoring five points (2g-3a) with 67 penalty minutes in 23 regular season games and four penalty minutes in three playoff games.

Boulton becomes the third National Hockey League player in the ECHL, joining Scott Gomez of the New Jersey Devils, who is playing with the Alaska Aces, and Curtis Brown of the Chicago Blackhawks, who is playing with the San Diego Gulls.

Boulton returned to Charlotte in 1997-98, scoring 27 points (11g-16a) with 202 penalty minutes in 53 regular season games and one goal in four playoff games. Boulton last played in the ECHL in 1998-99 with Florida, scoring 22 points (9g-13a) with 143 penalty minutes in 26 regular season games.

In 2003-04, the 6-0 and 201-pound Boulton had 110 penalty minutes and scored three points (1g-2a) in 44 games with Buffalo. Signed to a multi-year contract by Buffalo on August 20, 2001, Boulton has 17 points (5g-12a) and 511 penalty minutes in 172 career NHL games, all with the Sabres.

[Brash_Fan]

Interesting to see how Boulton will do against the heavies in ECHL

[shedthemitts]

I'm sure he won't be very active in the fight department in the ECHL. He'll fight when he needs to, but he's a decent player and will be looking to contribute in other ways. Just look at his stats from the ECHL before he made the big league...

[BigBubba]

Originally Posted by Brash_Fan

Interesting to see how Boulton will do against the heavies in ECHL

I'd rather not.

Hopefully puck stopper is right.

[Smashing Machine]

Originally Posted by BigBubba

I'd rather not.

Hopefully puck stopper is right.

LOL
Yeah really.. gonna get whipped there also fellas. Or..big swing and miss, fall down.

[pukboy]

The ECHL has quite a few non-enforcers who mix it up, and of these most of them do it very poorly. I'm pretty sure Boulton can hold his own against most of the ECHL fighters. The AHL or Quebec leagues would be a different story.

[Brash_Fan]

have hi made his debut yet? if so how did it go?

[redscooter26]

Boulton looked good playing wise in Charlotte on Friday. MacIntyre challenged him and he said no, but that's no surprise. Boulton has nothing to gain and everything to lose, plus nobody but Brad Voth has obliged Big Mac this year and he wound up getting dropped. This may be a shock that Boulton decided to try the ECHL and Columbia, but his wife is from there and that's where they live.

[Brash_Fan]

[quote=redscooter26]Boulton looked good playing wise in Charlotte on Friday. MacIntyre challenged him and he said no, but that's no surprise. Boulton has nothing to gain and everything to lose,QUOTE]

Well the same could be said by Brashear but he's fought some of the heavies during his time in LNAH.
You have to expekt ppl wanting to test u when you come from the big league down to the minors.

[Fotiu]

He should score double digits in both goals and assists.
And hopefully fight with the heavies when he´s challenged.

[chrisyo]

[quote=Brash_Fan]

Originally Posted by redscooter26

Boulton looked good playing wise in Charlotte on Friday. MacIntyre challenged him and he said no, but that's no surprise. Boulton has nothing to gain and everything to lose,QUOTE]

Well the same could be said by Brashear but he's fought some of the heavies during his time in LNAH.
You have to expekt ppl wanting to test u when you come from the big league down to the minors.

Brashear wasnt joining the LNAH to work on his skills. LNAH is a know fighting league and nobody goes there to work on there skill.

Boulton on the other hand is not the heavyweight champion of the NHL. He isnt even top 30. He joined the ECHL to work on his game. Peters is taking his job like nothing. Boulton is a pretty good scrapper IMO. He had a very good bout with Bob Probert in preseason a few years back. He will never be a top ten guy but he is a reliable guy to have on your team.