DON BOUCHARD (GRASSROOTS CATEGORY)
Date of Induction: 2026-10-03Born in Manitoba and a Fisher Branch resident his entire life, Don Bouchard’s lifetime love of hockey and its importance to the community is a perfect reflection of Canadian prairie life.
Growing up, there were no formal hockey programs in Fisher Branch. Don Bouchard would learn to skate and stickhandle on the frozen sloughs and rivers near the family farm. In 1969, the town would build a new rink and form a Senior team, the Fisher Branch Blades, for the new Interlake Hockey League. Too old for the local Midget team, Bouchard was desperate to play and joined the Senior squad. He would lead the Blades from 1969-1984, not only serving as captain, and in scoring for 15 years, but in the role of president for 10 years.
On the ice, his outstanding play would help the Fisher Branch Blades win 6 Western Interlake championships in a span of 7 years from 1975 to 1982. During this time, Bouchard would win 6 League scoring titles, scoring on average 4 points per game throughout the season and playoffs for at least 3 seasons.
Bouchard would not only plan and organize the team practices during the season and off season, he would finish his business on the ice then take his skates off and organize fundraisers to help support the hockey club. He also played a key role in the day-to-day operations as well as representing the team at Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MHA) meetings.