 Though he had an immediate impact on the team, Bouchard had not scored many points for the team; in his first season, 1941–42, he collected six points in the regular season and scored the first NHL goal of his career in the Canadiens' first-round playoff loss to the Detroit Red Wings.The 1942–43 season was Bouchard's breakthrough year as he finished leading all Canadien defencemen in points and was key to the Canadiens' first season in several years without a losing record.They finished in fourth place with a record of 19 wins, 19 losses and 12 ties.