FRASER, Mich. – And the accolades keep coming for Louis Boudon.
Just one season removed from being named the NA3HL’s MVP with the Metro Jets, Boudon has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey for Lake Superior State University.
The Lakers play in the WCHA, one of six Division I conferences in the NCAA, and the school’s campus is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Lake Superior State captured national championships in 1988, 1992 and 1994.
Last year, Boudon posted 38 goals and 81 points with a plus-81 rating as a rookie with the Jets and this season, leads the NAHL in scoring with the Northeast Generals with seven goals and 19 points through 15 games.
Boudon announced his decision to commit to LSSU on Tuesday.
“Lake State approached me during the NAHL Showcase (last month) and we stayed in touch ever since,” said Boudon, a 19-year-old forward out of Grenoble, France. “They said they’ll watch me play and then they made an offer. Lake State was one of my top schools – great hockey program, big rink, nice area, and they have the major I want. I know they have a solid hockey program. The coaches know what they are doing and the team has been doing well these past few years.
“And they made an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville saw the potential Boudon had last season and how he gradually improved over the 2016-17 season to the point where the NAHL wasn’t simply an option, but rather the logical next step.
Quenneville is elated to see Boudon earn the chance to play the highest level of college hockey.
“We would like to congratulate Louis on his commitment,” said Quenneville. “When I spoke with Louis and his father last year, they wanted to focus on his development. The day he signed, he never looked back. He is the perfect example of a player who put in the work and committed himself fully to the process. Naturally, he is a gifted player, but he learned a lot during his time here and took advantage of his opportunities. LSSU will be getting a special player and we are fortunate to continue to add to the list of success stories in the Jets organization.
“Let us not forget that the NA3HL helped give us the platform to continue to advance players and provide NCAA opportunities and in this case, Louis now gets to play D-I hockey. It’s only fitting that one of the Jets greats Steve Oleksy played at LSSU as well.”
In the classroom at LSSU, Boudon said he is still deciding between Exercise Science or Business as his major, but said “I have time to figure out what I want to do.”
“Lake State has both of these majors, which is awesome,” noted Boudon.
This year with the Generals, a team he played two games with last year and didn’t look out of place in tallying two goals in two games, Boudon has helped the Generals to the top of the NAHL’s East Division with a 12-3-0 mark.
Last season, Northeast finished a paltry 4-53-3.
“The season has gone quite well so far,” Boudon said. “The team is competitive this year and we’ve been pretty successful so far. We have to stick to the work ethic we have and hopefully, we will have success this year.”
Boudon was a key component on the Jets last year in a season that saw Metro run through the regular season 47-0-0 and then to the Silver Cup (now Fraser Cup) National Championship final. His assist on Connor Inger’s overtime winner against the Pittsburgh Vengeance in the deciding Game 3 of the East Division finals was a thing of beauty and qualified the Jets for the Silver Cup for the third straight season.
“Well, the season last year was amazing and I would consider the entire season as a highlight, but if I have to think about a specific moment, the first things that come to my mind are the Silver Cup and the playoffs,” said Boudon. “I learned a lot last year, thanks to Coach. I got stronger and faster. I learned how to play on small ice surfaces and most importantly, I learned small details that helped improving my game. These things got me ready for the NAHL.
“I still have a lot of things to learn and improve in order to play at the college hockey level, but I am ready for that challenge.”
