Philadelphia's farm team in the AHL just got a lot tougher signing London Knights fighter Sawyer Boulton
Philadelphia's farm team in the AHL just got a lot tougher signing London Knights fighter Sawyer Boulton
Philadelphia Flyer fans adore that rough and tough, physical style of hockey, even if it crosses the line at times. That’s exactly what Sawyer Boulton’s game is all about.
Boulton, 19, played 10 games for the Rochester Jr. Americans in the NAHL before signing with the London Knights in the OHL early into the 2023-24 season on Oct. 12, 2023.
The six-foot, 210-pound tough-guy forward signed a two-year AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday.
Sawyer’s younger brother Ryder signed an OHL contract following a successful training camp before the start of the season. So, the organization already had their eyes on the two grinder forwards, the sons of long-time NHL player (2000-2016), and fighter, Eric Boulton.
It should be no surprise that Eric’s sons play the exact same way he did. They both will finish every check and run over anyone who stands in their way. They don’t care if it’s near the end of the game and their team is about to win, they will send a message and be physical to rub it in their opponents’ faces.
In his 10 games in the NAHL, Boulton accumulated 49 penalty minutes (compared to 110 in 30 games the previous year) before joining the OHL.
During his 40 games with the Knights, he continued to display physical play, earning 63 penalty minutes. He earned a reputation of being a “Violent player” in the league with his constant major penalties and suspensions.
Boulton received seven suspensions in the OHL and a one-game ban in the Memorial Cup after he unnecessarily pushed a Moose Jaw player while leaving the ice after warmups.
His worst suspension was a 10-game ban after it was deemed that he targeted the head of Bryce McConnell-Barker in a blindside hit during a game against the Soo Greyhounds in December.
The sheer amount of suspensions and major penalties he has occurred over his short career in major junior hockey is concerning. Even though Sawyer plays a style that still brings value to a fourth-line role at the pro level, he will need to ideally not get suspended seven times in a season if he wants to upgrade his AHL deal to an NHL one.
Boulton played 16 playoff games and won the OHL Championship with London this past season, but as it usually is for a fourth-line player in the league, he rarely saw the ice.
Can Sawyer Boulton reel in his aggressiveness and dirty play just a little bit to avoid those suspensions? Or will playing in a league (AHL or ECHL) that has more fighting combatants allow him to settle scores in a “Friendly” fisticuffs scrap?