Evan Bouchard vs. Noah Dobson (2022 Edition)

Who is the better player?

  • Islanders fan choosing Bouchard

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    134

biturbo19

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
27,240
12,385
Still Dobson. Same as on draft day. Same as i'm still mad they didn't take him over Quin Hughes.
 

HockeyVirus

Woll stan.
Nov 15, 2020
19,449
29,724
Bouchard is a liability in the NHL. He has some nice offensive tools but any positive those make are negated by him being walked every time he steps on the ice. He has a lot of growth needed because right now he is looking like Tyson Barrie 2.0
 
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TheDawnOfANewTage

Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
Dec 17, 2018
12,983
19,175
Bouchard is a liability in the NHL. He has some nice offensive tools but any positive those make are negated by him being walked every time he steps on the ice. He has a lot of growth needed because right now he is looking like Tyson Barrie 2.0

He could get better? But ya, last time I watched close he did some nice offensive stuff and I said “oh cool, why do ppl rag on him?” Then play went the other way and I found out.
 
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biturbo19

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
27,240
12,385
Ooo, that’s a spicy one. I like it

Took a minute to come around. Didn't look like a very good take for a while. :laugh: Hughes made that immediate splash and Dobson has taken a bit of a time. But really, who would you rather have right now? I can't see many Isles fans being inclined to swap him for Hughes. He's showing pretty similar offensive upside, with more goal-scoring impact as part of that, and a much higher defensive "ceiling", as the sort of true "all situations #1D" that Hughes will never really be.


Picking between the two, no question i take the big rangy two-way RHD. As much as Hughes is a master in transition and Dobson may never be quite as good there, he has other limitations due to his size that are just never going to go away.
 

HockeyVirus

Woll stan.
Nov 15, 2020
19,449
29,724
He could get better? But ya, last time I watched close he did some nice offensive stuff and I said “oh cool, why do ppl rag on him?” Then play went the other way and I found out.

Yeah I ranted because last nights game is fresh in my mind, but I would never say a 23 year old dman is a finished product. Just that if the goal is to have him play top 4 minutes for your contending team there is a significant step needed still.
 

Mr Kot

Registered User
Jan 15, 2022
5,525
12,639
Bouchard shows flashes of brilliant play, but he still shows those raw mistakes. Hopefully he will iron those out. Dobson I would take again.
 

Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
26,494
16,390
Vancouver
Took a minute to come around. Didn't look like a very good take for a while. :laugh: Hughes made that immediate splash and Dobson has taken a bit of a time. But really, who would you rather have right now? I can't see many Isles fans being inclined to swap him for Hughes. He's showing pretty similar offensive upside, with more goal-scoring impact as part of that, and a much higher defensive "ceiling", as the sort of true "all situations #1D" that Hughes will never really be.


Picking between the two, no question i take the big rangy two-way RHD. As much as Hughes is a master in transition and Dobson may never be quite as good there, he has other limitations due to his size that are just never going to go away.

I think I’d like to see more of Hughes in a better situation and/or Dobson take on a bigger role before I’d agree. Dobson has the benefit of better team structure and the Pelech pairing in front of him, and what Hughes does well is pretty special if he can tighten up other areas and maybe get some lighter minutes, but it’s something worth considering. Off topic though I guess.
 

FlameChampion

Registered User
Jul 13, 2011
14,722
17,318
I understand why the Oilers wanted Bouchard at the time. They needed an offensive RD who could run the power play for basically forever. He checked a lot of boxes.

The funny part is now the Oilers have had Barrie for a few years. Barrie and Bouchard kind of make each other redundant.

Oilers would of been better off picking Dobson ... especially now that they have Barrie ...

Dobson is pretty good offensively too though. Its not much of a gap between him and Bouchard. And Dobson is a much better defender.

Both guys are still really young though, which I think makes Dobson even more impressive.
 

Dust

HFBoards Sponsor
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Apr 20, 2016
5,958
6,985
I remember watching Dobson play in the Memorial Cup when it was here in Regina and he was one of the best players in that tournament. Bouchard has been fine but I felt like from my limited sample size it was a mistake at the time to take him over Dobson. Still lots of growth for both guys and I think people forget that this is really Bouchard's 2nd season in the NHL, he doesn't quite have the experience that Dobson does at this level.
 

Thrasymachus

Registered User
Jul 1, 2018
5,236
6,742
I am biased, since I am an isles fan and admittedly dont catch a ton of Edmonton games.

Dobson is an absolute stud. Very happy with his development.
 

PWJunior

Stay safe!
Apr 11, 2010
42,981
22,902
Long Island, NY
I remember watching Dobson play in the Memorial Cup when it was here in Regina and he was one of the best players in that tournament. Bouchard has been fine but I felt like from my limited sample size it was a mistake at the time to take him over Dobson. Still lots of growth for both guys and I think people forget that this is really Bouchard's 2nd season in the NHL, he doesn't quite have the experience that Dobson does at this level.

While Dobson has more NHL experience, Bouchard was a year ahead of development when both were drafted. Bouchard had 3 OHL seasons under his belt already when the Oilers took him, Dobson had 2 in the Q and was considered the project that would need more development.

Dobson has made considerable strides in his game, but all the elements of his game were evident in flashes. The concerning thing for me with Bouchard is that he is essentially the same player he was in the OHL and has not improved the weaknesses in his game.
 

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