Boris Katchouk Bio
Boris Katchouk, born June 18, 1998, in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger. He plays for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Katchouk was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round, 44th overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, and has also played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators.
Standing 188 cm tall and weighing 93 kg, Katchouk is known for his skating, two-way play, and offensive touch at the minor professional level. He holds Canadian and Russian dual citizenship, and he has represented Canada in international competition, including winning gold at the 2018 World Junior Championships.
Early Life and Background
Boris Katchouk was born on June 18, 1998, in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Russian parents Yelena Tumanova and Viktor Katchouk. He grew up alongside his two older brothers, Alex and Yuri. His mother, Yelena, represented the Soviet Union in speed skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics, giving the family a deep athletic background.
His family moved from Russia to Canada for work in 1992 and relocated from Montreal to Vancouver before eventually settling in Waterloo, Ontario. Growing up, Katchouk was a dual-sport athlete, playing both ice hockey and box lacrosse during his youth. He attended Resurrection Catholic Secondary School while developing his hockey game.
Path to Hockey
Katchouk began his organized ice hockey career with the Waterloo Wolves Minor Midget team in the Alliance Hockey League. During the 2013–14 season, he recorded 25 goals and 33 assists for 58 points through 29 games while helping guide the team to an Alliance Hockey Minor Midget Championship.
Following that success, he joined the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s (NOJHL) Soo Thunderbirds and led them to the James Aspin Trophy, the Copeland Cup, the McNamara Trophy, and the Dudley Hewitt Cup. He was drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and played 12 games with the club as a 16-year-old during the 2014–15 OHL season.
Boris Katchouk Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
Upon joining the Greyhounds full-time for the 2015–16 season, Katchouk recorded 24 goals and 27 assists for 51 points in 63 games. He was named to the OHL’s All-Rookie Team and was selected as the Greyhounds’ Rookie of the Year. In his NHL draft-eligible year, he earned a 25th final ranking among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.
Katchouk returned to the Greyhounds for his sophomore season, posting 35 goals and 64 points in 66 games. He led all Greyhounds skaters in goals and points through 11 playoff games and was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the Lightning on April 23, 2017. The following year, he scored a hat trick in a Game 7 win over the Owen Sound Attack to help the Greyhounds reach the OHL’s Western Conference final.
Professional Career (2018–2021)
Following his major junior career, Katchouk was assigned to the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, where he scored his first professional goal in his debut against the Rochester Americans. He returned to the AHL for the 2020–21 season, appearing in 29 games, scoring 11 goals and 34 points, and leading the team in assists and plus/minus.
On July 31, 2021, Katchouk signed a three-year contract to remain with the Lightning organization. After attending training camp and pre-season games, he was named to their opening night roster. On October 16, 2021, he made his NHL debut in a 7–6 overtime victory against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena, recording his first career NHL assist on November 13 against the Florida Panthers, and his first NHL goal on December 5 against Carter Hart in a 7–1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Chicago Blackhawks Era (2022–2024)
On March 18, 2022, the Lightning traded Katchouk, along with Taylor Raddysh and two first-round picks, to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forward Brandon Hagel. He made his Blackhawks debut on March 19 in a 3–1 loss to the Minnesota Wild and scored his first goal with Chicago on April 10 against Jake Oettinger in a 6–4 loss to the Dallas Stars.
Katchouk suffered a left ankle sprain during a 2022 pre-season game versus the Detroit Red Wings, causing him to miss the first month of the 2022–23 season. He returned on October 29 against the Buffalo Sabres and recorded his first three-point game on March 14, 2023, in a 6–3 win over the Boston Bruins. He began the 2023–24 season with Chicago but, after recording only two goals and four points through 17 games, was placed on waivers and assigned to the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, on December 12, 2023.
Ottawa Senators Era (2024)
On March 7, 2024, Katchouk was placed on waivers again by the Blackhawks and was claimed by the Ottawa Senators the following day. He made his Senators debut on March 9 in a 2–1 loss to the San Jose Sharks and scored his first goal with the team in a 6–2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on March 27. As a restricted free agent at season’s end, the Senators did not extend a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Return to Tampa Bay (2024–2025)
After going unsigned in the 2024 offseason, Katchouk accepted a professional tryout with the Anaheim Ducks on September 12, 2024, and was released on September 30. He signed a one-year AHL contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on October 8 and posted 21 goals and 49 points through 67 regular season games, his best professional offensive totals.
Following that rebound season, Katchouk signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with his original club, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on July 1, 2025, returning to the organization that originally drafted him.
Driving Style and Strengths
Katchouk is recognized for his skating, two-way responsibility, and offensive instincts. He reads the play well in transition, uses his 188 cm frame effectively along the boards, and has shown an ability to produce points at the AHL level with consistent playmaking and finishing.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his career highlights, Katchouk scored his first NHL goal against Carter Hart on December 5, 2021, and recorded his first NHL three-point game on March 14, 2023, against the Boston Bruins. He also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championships in a 3–1 victory over Sweden.
Boris Katchouk Career Wins
Boris Katchouk has built his professional resume around steady offensive contributions and key team successes, including a Dudley Hewitt Cup championship with the Soo Thunderbirds, an OHL Western Conference final appearance with the Greyhounds, and a World Junior gold medal with Canada in 2018.
Junior and AHL Highlights
Katchouk’s junior résumé includes being named to the OHL’s All-Rookie Team and winning the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the Soo Thunderbirds. At the AHL level, he posted 21 goals and 49 points with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2024–25, his most productive professional season.
Other Wins and Performances
Katchouk was a member of Team Canada at the 2016 Under-18 Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and later scored in his debut at the 2018 World Junior Championships, where Canada won gold with a 3–1 victory over Sweden.
Boris Katchouk Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Boris Katchouk was raised in an athletic household with Russian roots. His mother, Yelena Tumanova, was a speed skater who represented the Soviet Union at the 1988 Winter Olympics, and his father, Viktor Katchouk, supported the family’s move from Russia to Canada in 1992. He grew up alongside two older brothers, Alex and Yuri.
Personal Life
Boris Katchouk holds Canadian and Russian dual citizenship and has spent time living in Vancouver, Montreal, and Waterloo, Ontario. Public details about his marital status and children are not widely reported.
2025 Season Performance
Boris Katchouk signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1, 2025, marking his return to the organization that originally drafted him. He is expected to compete for a bottom-six forward role with the Lightning, with the flexibility to be assigned to the Syracuse Crunch if needed.
Coming off a 21-goal, 49-point AHL campaign with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Katchouk enters 2025 with renewed confidence and a clear opportunity to establish himself within the Lightning’s depth chart. His strong 2024–25 production positions him as a candidate to push for NHL games early in the season.
With the Lightning in transition among their supporting forwards, Katchouk’s blend of skating, two-way play, and offensive upside could make him a steady contributor in Syracuse while remaining on call in Tampa Bay throughout 2025.