Player Discussion Evan Bouchard

[Tobias Kahun]

It did on the PP. Bouchard got Barries minutes on the PP.
Barrie was prinarily paired with Nurse at 5x5.
When they treid Boucahard and Nurse it was a disaster.

Why is the fact that Bouchard was not a top 4 dman before Ekholm got here such a difficult reality to accept?

Why are you so set on downplaying how good he is with or without Rkholm.

 

[guymez]

He was top 4 caliber offensively but he was still finding his game defensively. That said I personally don't want to separate him and Ekholm because that is as dominant of a pairing as I recall seeing in my time as an Oilers fan. As it is right now, Bouchard is playing at an extremely high level and I'm not interested in breaking this pairing up to see if Bouchard could drag Nurse's corpse around or Ekholm could drag Ceci's corpse around.

I would go one step further and suggest that he was showing signs that he was elite offensively.

Thats as far as I would go though because this notion that his overall game was a top 4 caliber before Ekholm got here is based on nothing but hope and feelings.

 

[guymez]

Why are you so set on downplaying how good he is with or without Rkholm.

I will try and explain this more clearly....
Bouchard has imporved considerably in the last 100 games. Thats what happens with young players and before Ekholm got here Bouchard was almost a rookie. He had exactly 1 full NHL season before Ekholm arrived.
He was NOT a top 4 dman 100 games ago.
There isnt a single metric that suggests he was and the eye test confirmed that.

Now having said that I think that Bouchard is a top pariing dman with Ekholm right now.
His game IMO has even improved more in the playoffs. His defensive game has become more consistent. More reliable. Its really great to see.
The solid defence coupled with his elite offensive skill means Bouchard is becoming a force.

Would he be as strong without Ekholm defenisvely...I dont know.
I suspect that he would still do really well without Ekholm but I would like to see what happens.
I would like to see how he does with say...Nurse.

So really I am not downplaying anything.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Sooo. For years we've pined for a #1 dman. I'd say he's hit that status at this point. Playing as good as any dman in the playoffs. After last night, I'd say he passed Heiskanen as far as defensive MVP

Booch and Heiskanen dynamically have to be the best and most dangerous D in hockey. They both seem to get less talked about than the Makars or Hughes who are frankly doing nothing this playoffs.

The hockey world seemingly sleeping on how good Booch is. Theres 3 players on this team that an org HAS to retain. 3 great pieces. Should be obvious who they are.

 

[Canovin]

Booch and Heiskanen dynamically have to be the best and most dangerous D in hockey. They both seem to get less talked about than the Makars or Hughes who are frankly doing nothing this playoffs.

The hockey world seemingly sleeping on how good Booch is. Theres 3 players on this team that an org HAS to retain. 3 great pieces. Should be obvious who they are.

McDavid, Drai and Ekholm?

 

[VainGretzky]

McDavid, Drai and Ekholm?

There is only one defenceman in the history of the league that has a better PPG in the playoffs better than Bouchard minimum 40 points that would be Bobby Orr, you want to lock up that defenseman for many years

 

[Stauf4Prez]

Hand up, accountability. Two seasons ago at this time, I wanted him jettisoned to Arizona.

 

[Drivesaitl]

McDavid, Drai and Ekholm?

Ekholm has been great for us, and definitely in our core but of course the player is Booch. Remembering as well that Booch still young and he's putting up legend numbers while still young. This player is actually getting far better and has been getting better every year. Coffey would be the first to say how great Booch is.

 

[Canovin]

Ekholm has been great for us, and definitely in our core but of course the player is Booch. Remembering as well that Booch still young and he's putting up legend numbers while still young. This player is actually getting far better and has been getting better every year. Paul Coffeys Oilers pts totals already in peril. Coffey would be the first to say how great Booch is.

I'll need to see Bouchard away from Ekholm first. In 3-4 years when Ekholm hangs it up, Bouchard will have to carry the defense.

 

[foshizzle]

Booch and Heiskanen dynamically have to be the best and most dangerous D in hockey. They both seem to get less talked about than the Makars or Hughes who are frankly doing nothing this playoffs.

The hockey world seemingly sleeping on how good Booch is. Theres 3 players on this team that an org HAS to retain. 3 great pieces. Should be obvious who they are.

Our own media and fanbase think Bouchard is a byproduct of Ekholm. Ekholm has helped Bouchard for sure, but Bouchard has also helped Ekholm. He was never this player in Nashville

 

[foshizzle]

I'll need to see Bouchard away from Ekholm first. In 3-4 years when Ekholm hangs it up, Bouchard will have to carry the defense.

I don't know how anyone can say this looking at how well Bouchard denies the zone or moves the puck up. His NZ transition game is excellent. Elite in those areas. None of this has to do with Ekholm. His in-zone defense- which was his weak spot (it wasn't bad, just average) has taken another step. His playoff intensity is innate- you either have it or you don't. his xGAR is 88% (compared to defensemen who play his role) while Ekholm's is 84%. It's time to let go of Bouchard needs Ekholm to giving credit where credit is due- Bouchard is an excellent defenseman.

 

[CupofOil]

I will try and explain this more clearly....
Bouchard has imporved considerably in the last 100 games. Thats what happens with young players and before Ekholm got here Bouchard was almost a rookie. He had exactly 1 full NHL season before Ekholm arrived.
He was NOT a top 4 dman 100 games ago.
There isnt a single metric that suggests he was and the eye test confirmed that.

Now having said that I think that Bouchard is a top pariing dman with Ekholm right now.
His game IMO has even improved more in the playoffs. His defensive game has become more consistent. More reliable. Its really great to see.
The solid defence coupled with his elite offensive skill means Bouchard is becoming a force.

Would he be as strong without Ekholm defenisvely...I dont know.
I suspect that he would still do really well without Ekholm but I would like to see what happens.
I would like to see how he does with say...Nurse.

So really I am not downplaying anything.

Ekholm has definitely helped along Bouchard's development as most young D need but why do you need to see how he does away from Ekholm to validate him? Why do you need to see Bouchard with Nurse?

I think it's as simple as this. They're a dominant pairing whose skillsets compliment each other and they bring out the best in each other. It should also be noted that Ekholm, past prime years or on the back end of his prime, is playing the best hockey of his career....with Bouchard so I think there's a benefit factor going both ways. There's no need to break this pairing up.

 

[Spawn]

Among Bouchard's 4 goals in these playoffs includes an OT GW, a GW with less than a minute to go and the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Going back to last years playoffs he has the GWG on 5 of the Oilers 12 total wins across two seasons. Only Carter Verhaege (6) has more than him over that span and he's played 10 extra games

Kid is a big game player.

 

[guymez]

Ekholm has definitely helped along Bouchard's development as most young D need but why do you need to see how he does away from Ekholm to validate him? Why do you need to see Bouchard with Nurse?

I think it's as simple as this. They're a dominant pairing whose skillsets compliment each other and they bring out the best in each other. It should also be noted that Ekholm, past prime years or on the back end of his prime, is playing the best hockey of his career....with Bouchard so I think there's a benefit factor going both ways. There's no need to break this pairing up.

Its not about vidication.
Its about getting a better sense of how his game would translate away from the player that made a major impact in Bouchards development.
It would illuminate Bouchards diversity in terms of deployment which is something I would like to know.

Why would you (or anybody else) choose to be a closed book by being adverse to that?

It would also allow Knoblauch to get a better sense of how he can utilize his D pairings and maybe even make Nurse a better player by forcing him to focus on defence.
Ultimately it has the potential to make the team better.

 

[alanschu]

Among Bouchard's 4 goals in these playoffs includes an OT GW, a GW with less than a minute to go and the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Kid is a big game player.

Good team guy I feel too, with his masked facepalm against Spector's silly questions to Pickard

 

[Canovin]

I don't know how anyone can say this looking at how well Bouchard denies the zone or moves the puck up. His NZ transition game is excellent. Elite in those areas. None of this has to do with Ekholm. His in-zone defense- which was his weak spot (it wasn't bad, just average) has taken another step. His playoff intensity is innate- you either have it or you don't. his xGAR is 88% (compared to defensemen who play his role) while Ekholm's is 84%. It's time to let go of Bouchard needs Ekholm to giving credit where credit is due- Bouchard is an excellent defenseman.

I feel like people are getting the same kind of high they were getting from Covid season Nurse. Can we see how Bouchard does away from Ekholm first? Did Bouchard carried his own pairing before Ekholm? I'm going to wait another 2 years before I put him in some kind of #1D stratosphere. For now, Bouchard is pretty good with some minor flaws. He's a player I prefer to keep my expectation low.

As for Ekholm, we know what we have in him. It's why we traded for him. It's been backed up by years of playing excellent D.

 

[guymez]

I feel like people are getting the same kind of high they were getting from Covid season Nurse. Can we see how Bouchard does away from Ekholm first? Did Bouchard carried his own pairing before Ekholm? I'm going to wait another 2 years before I put him in some kind of #1D stratosphere. For now, Bouchard is pretty good with some minor flaws. He's a player I prefer to keep my expectation low.

As for Ekholm, we know what we have in him. It's why we traded for him. It's been backed up by years of playing excellent D.

I agree except to say that Bouchard has been better than pretty good.

 

[CupofOil]

Its not about vidication.
Its about getting a better sense of how his game would translate away from the player that made a major impact in Bouchards development.
It would illuminate Bouchards diversity in terms of deployment which is something I would like to know.
Why would you (or anybody else) choose to be a closed book by being adverse to that?

It would also allow Knoblauch to get a better sense of how he can utilize his D pairings and maybe even make Nurse a better player by forcing him to focus on defence.
Ultimatly it has the potential to make the team better.

Valid points but this is a next year thing.

I guess when you said that Bouchard is playing very well but you need to see how it translates to another pairing, it led me to believe that you need him to prove it to you that he can succeed away from Ekholm hence my validation statement.

You're not wrong though. It's sort of like the McDrai thing. We always wanted to see how McDavid and Draisaitl do separately not only to spread the wealth but to also afford the coaches more options then they can always go back to the nuclear option if it didn't work separately. Ekard are now the new McDrai, the new "nuclear option" so I understand where you're coming from.

 

[guymez]

Valid points but this is a next year thing.

I guess when you said that Bouchard is playing very well but you need to see how it translates to another pairing, it led me to believe that you need him to prove it to you that he can succeed away from Ekholm hence my validation statement.

You're not wrong though. It's sort of like the McDrai thing. We always wanted to see how McDavid and Draisaitl do separately not only to spread the wealth but to also afford the coaches more options then they can always go back to the nuclear option if it didn't work separately. Ekard are now the new McDrai, the new "nuclear option" so I understand where you're coming from.

Definitely a next year thing and the McDavid/Draisaitl comparsion is spot on.

 

[McDNicks17]

Among Bouchard's 4 goals in these playoffs includes an OT GW, a GW with less than a minute to go and the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Going back to last years playoffs he has the GWG on 5 of the Oilers 12 total wins across two seasons. Only Carter Verhaege (6) has more than him over that span and he's played 10 extra games

Kid is a big game player.

Unfortunately, even though Bouchard physically scored those goals, he'd be a bum without Ekholm therefore those goals actually belong to Ekholm.

 

[LTIR]

McDavid, Drai and Ekholm?

McDavid, Ekholm, Hyman?

 

[Canovin]

McDavid, Ekholm, Hyman?

Not sure why Replacement only said 3 making it extremely hard for us to choose lol.

Should expand to 5. McDavid. Drai, Hyman, Bouchard and Ekholm

 

[guymez]

Not sure why Replacement only said 3 making it extremely hard for us to choose lol.

Should expand to 5. McDavid. Drai, Hyman, Bouchard and Ekholm

100%
All 5 are critical.
They are money on the PP.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I'm going there, because it's what I see.

You know what that goal last night reminded me of? Ray Bourque firing goals from the point picking a spot through traffic. This kid is a GEM.

 

[LTIR]

Not sure why Replacement only said 3 making it extremely hard for us to choose lol.

Should expand to 5. McDavid. Drai, Hyman, Bouchard and Ekholm

I think best comparable for Bouchard on this team is Hyman. Everyone agrees what they have done this year is very rare and exceptional but give a lot of the credit to who they have on their line/pairing.

It doesn't matter who is propping up who ..end result is that we are finally more than a 2 player team.