Player Discussion Evan Bouchard

[bucks_oil]

He was never going to catch that guy and he knew it. Let’s see some highlights of him having a chance on a play and failing. There’s plenty of those that would be more relevant if we want to properly shit on Bouch.

What on earth?!

Did you miss the part where he took only two casual backward cross overs after the turn over? Meanwhile Atkinson went from 10 meters in front of him to 5 meters behind him during that time.

Also, then once beat, like a little baby he stops skating, so he's also not going to get there in time for the rebound even if his goalie bails him out.

Just sayin'

 

[LTIR]

This guy looks like he needs to go to the bench and have a nap every time he’s about to get into any kind of battle for the puck. Hasn’t changed at all the entire time he’s been in the NHL

Starting to think it would’ve been better off just keeping Barrie and trading this guy for some kind of value

I think McD and Drain would have preferred Barrie over Bouchard too but oh well. Bouchard is still great offensively and should be a good option for 3rd pairing. We just need to add a top 4 RHD better than Ceci.
Pesce or even Peeke would do.

 

[TheNumber4]

What on earth?!

Did you miss the part where he took only two casual backward cross overs after the turn over? Meanwhile Atkinson went from 10 meters in front of him to 5 meters behind him during that time.

Also, then once beat, like a little baby he stops skating, so he's also not going to get there in time for the rebound even if his goalie bails him out.

Just sayin'

He f***ed up on the initial coverage. As I noted last night. I’m just saying not chasing down the impossible race and looking lazy doing it is the least of his worries.

 

[Stealth1616]

I think McD and Drain would have preferred Barrie over Bouchard too but oh well. Bouchard is still great offensively and should be a good option for 3rd pairing. We just need to add a top 4 RHD better than Ceci.
Pesce or even Peeke would do.

We would still be playing Bouchard in the top 4 in that situation.

And the guy is gonna think he’s worth 7M when his contract is up

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Getting Tom Poti vibes from Bouchard. Offensively above average. Terrible defensively. Low IQ. Soft as butter on a hot day.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Getting Tom Poti vibes from Bouchard. Offensively above average. Terrible defensively. Low IQ. Soft as butter on a hot day.

I was coming to say Mike Green vibes

 

[LTIR]

Hopefully we are all eating crow in a couple months when this thread gets bumped but Yeh not looking too good right now.

 

[bucks_oil]

He f***ed up on the initial coverage. As I noted last night. I’m just saying not chasing down the impossible race and looking lazy doing it is the least of his worries.

Yeah... fundamental disagree there. I don't know how you can excuse giving up on a play, any play.

Campbell could make that initial save and then Bouchard could tie up a stick on the rebound... or nah, why bother.

That's loser hockey right there. It matters even in beer league.

 

[bobbythebrain]

He's terrible right now. I'd scratch him a game for sure

 

[Slats432]

Hopefully we are all eating crow in a couple months when this thread gets bumped but Yeh not looking too good right now.

I am not even saying I don't like Bouchard. I like him. The warts will and likely always will drive some of us crazy.

 

[GOilers88]

I was coming to say Mike Green vibes

Prime Mike Green?

Yes please.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

That was possibly the worst single game display of "defending" that I have ever seen from an Oilers defenseman. I say this as a Bouchard fan. A damn shame because he was almost equally as good on offense as he was as bad on defense.

 

[CookiesAndMilk]

That was possibly the worst single game display of "defending" that I have ever seen from an Oilers defenseman. I say this as a Bouchard fan. A damn shame because he was almost equally as good on offense as he was as bad on defense.

Bouchard giveth and Bouchard taketh away.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

That was possibly the worst single game display of "defending" that I have ever seen from an Oilers defenseman. I say this as a Bouchard fan. A damn shame because he was almost equally as good on offense as he was as bad on defense.

He'd be so good if he could even just be below average defensively. I'm not even asking for league average, just not whatever the f*** he's been doing this year.

 

[GhostfaceWu]

Let him rack up some points than trade him in the summer and go grab ghost on a short term contract loterally offers the same thing and wont be an albatross contract like Bouchards will be.

 

[Soundwave]

Let him rack up some points than trade him in the summer and go grab ghost on a short term contract loterally offers the same thing and wont be an albatross contract like Bouchards will be.

Or just sign Barrie for like 2 years x 3 mill per.

 

[GhostfaceWu]

Or just sign Barrie for like 2 years x 3 mill per.

I prefer ghost hes 2 years younger and is better offensively at this point in time

 

[3IR]

He'd be so good if he could even just be below average defensively. I'm not even asking for league average, just not whatever the f*** he's been doing this year.

The thing that pisses me off the most is that he's often in the proper position, or at least starts that way, but appears to have desire to tie up or otherwise impede the opposing player.

It almost looks like he's so worried about creating offense or breaking the puck out himself, that he would prefer to not have to use his stick or positioning to shut down the threat, so as to not miss an opportunity to turn the puck the other way.

I'm really hoping he pulls his head out of his ass when the rest of the team comes around. I know Ekholm isn't healthy, and he was a big part of Bouchards successes last year, but we really can't expect any one Dman to be able to cover for just how careless he's been this year.

 

[joestevens29]

I was wondering when we played NSH what the odds are we trade Bouchard in one deal for a more rounded guy and then add Barrie in another deal at the deadline.

 

[Kaptah]

I have never seen a defenceman so obviously uninterested to play defense. We all hoped this would change, but it is really getting worse. Curious case.

 

[Aerchon]

I am a huge Bouchard fan...

He is playing like ass.

He get 100 points this year and we would still muss the playoffs because he is directly responsible for 2 to 3 goals or more against per game.

While never good defensively he has regressed hard. One of the worst Oilers every game on a last place team... or close enough.

 

[FunkyChicken]

Keep in mind, half way through last season he was sharing time with Desjarnais as 6/7.
Healthy Ekholm covered a lot of his flaws that injured Ekholm can't.
Ideally he should be taking over Barrie's slot as the sheltered D and PP specialist but he's been forced to play in a slot that is higher than it should be. Much like many young Oilers D before him.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Keep in mind, half way through last season he was sharing time with Desjarnais as 6/7.
Healthy Ekholm covered a lot of his flaws that injured Ekholm can't.
Ideally he should be taking over Barrie's slot as the sheltered D and PP specialist but he's been forced to play in a slot that is higher than it should be. Much like many young Oilers D before him.

But he is highly sheltered. He plays with this team's best defensive defenceman, Nurse-Ceci eat way harder assignments than they should, and Kulak-Vinny (the third pairing Woody has used the most since the TDL) is a solid defensive 3rd pairing. It's just he's still getting caved even in this role.


I'm not overly concerned (yet). He's going through a rough patch, not unheard of for a young defenceman. But this is the point where the coaches need to step in, and ideally sit him for a couple games to settle thing down before they spiral to Jultz levels. Sadly with only 18 skaters they literally can't scratch him, but there's no reason why he shouldn't be 4th line RW for the next couple games. That, or back to the situation where he splits time with Vinny, where Bouch gets all the offensive usage, and Vinny all the defensive situations.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

It's very refreshing hearing an Oiler player say, "I'm playing bad." rather than "We".

Evan Bouchard knows he's struggling but says it 'will get better'

Evan Bouchard knows that, despite being one of the top offensive defencemen in the NHL, he hasn’t been good enough this season.

edmontonsun.com

“It’s something I have to clean up and it’s something that will get better."

"Bouchard takes full responsibility for how he’s playing and dismisses any notion that he and the rest of Edmonton’s defencemen are still trying to figure out the Oilers’ new system.

“If guys are tipping pucks from in front of your net it’s not usually a systems thing,” he said. “It’s usually a bit of individual play. Getting used to the system is not really an excuse we can use after six games.”

 

[Stealth1616]

It's very refreshing hearing an Oiler player say, "I'm playing bad." rather than "We".

Evan Bouchard knows he's struggling but says it 'will get better'

Evan Bouchard knows that, despite being one of the top offensive defencemen in the NHL, he hasn’t been good enough this season.

edmontonsun.com

“It’s something I have to clean up and it’s something that will get better."

"Bouchard takes full responsibility for how he’s playing and dismisses any notion that he and the rest of Edmonton’s defencemen are still trying to figure out the Oilers’ new system.

“If guys are tipping pucks from in front of your net it’s not usually a systems thing,” he said. “It’s usually a bit of individual play. Getting used to the system is not really an excuse we can use after six games.”

Words are just words with Bouchard.

He’s not playing well because he’s an extremely lazy player and doesn’t seem to want to put in the work