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“For me, it’s getting back into that conversation around 30 goals and just not having a 20-game slump or whatever it might be. You’re going to have a little one at some point, but for him and I, you’re going to have weather through it and handle the storm. That’s the message.”

There’s no question whatever they told Ryan in the off-season, he took it to heart.

Boucher is the kind of guy who isn’t going to dwell on the past, so whatever anybody told him happened with Ryan before the new coaching staff arrived has been wiped off the board. He feels good about the way he’s played so far and so do the Senators.

“I think I’ve had a nice camp,” Ryan said. “No. 1, you want to be healthy through (the season) and that’s clutch. It was a different kind of camp. You have a new coach, you’re learning new systems and everything is being applied.

“You’re basically wiping the slate clean and everything is new again. I felt like, personally, I’ve grasped a lot of what he’s been preaching the last little while and I’ve tried to apply that. I hope if you were to ask him, he would feel the same way about it, but I’m getting there with some of it.”

Boucher has been pleased with Ryan and chemistry he’s developed with newly acquired centre Derick Brassard. It’s no coincidence the duo forms the first power-play unit with Mark Stone on the right side while Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson are at the points.

“I’ve really liked what I’ve seen right now with Bobby,” Boucher said. “He fits perfectly with Brassard. That’s what we were hoping. They click very well. (Ryan) has been unbelievable on the power play, so I really like what we’ve got.”