Player Discussion Evan Bouchard

Fishy McScales

Registered User
Apr 22, 2006
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That's the thing. I've said he's good not elite. I'm defending the fact he's not an elite player in this league, I'm defending the fact he won't win the Smythe.

And as you said other posters get overly emotional and act like I'm saying he's an ECHL defenseman. I like Bouchard.
I'm just not sure why you're so adamant about dying on a hill that a guy putting up numbers for the history books is not in the Smythe conversation.
 

Whoshattenkirkshoes

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Aug 11, 2014
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I'm just not sure why you're so adamant about dying on a hill that a guy putting up numbers for the history books is not in the Smythe conversation.
I feel like he isn't good enough in his own zone. I believe Dallas will expose him a bit more in that area and we will have a somewhat similar game or two from him to his game 5 performance vs Van. If he handles Dallas with poise and looks excellent I'll eat my words.

Due to Mcdavid being injured and Drai elevating his game, I feel like it's pretty obvious that if the Oilers win the cup Drai will win the Smythe. The book makers obviously feel similar about Bouchard.
 

Fishy McScales

Registered User
Apr 22, 2006
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I feel like he isn't good enough in his own zone. I believe Dallas will expose him a bit more in that area and we will have a somewhat similar game or two from him to his game 5 performance vs Van. If he handles Dallas with poise and looks excellent I'll eat my words.

Due to Mcdavid being injured and Drai elevating his game, I feel like it's pretty obvious that if the Oilers win the cup Drai will win the Smythe. The book makers obviously feel similar about Bouchard.
I get that's your opinion, what I don't get is why you feel so strongly about it.
 

Bryanbryoil

Pray For Ukraine
Sep 13, 2004
87,868
38,355
Keith exhibited some breakout passing ability high on the wall that was really adept. Can't say I've ever seen Bouchard try it. Keith was starting quick three way bump plays that were highly skilled and effective to navigate through the neutral zone.

Bouchard probably didn't have the confidence at the time to try high skilled passing that close to his own blue line because that's where turnovers that cost you take place.

Thank God for critique.

Bouchard really took off after the Ekholm acquisition. They don't have that much similarities to their games, rather they compliment each other. Both use quick outlets to each other or the winger, or forward that makes themselves available for a pass, when the pressure is on.

They can both do bullet passing for breakouts but Boucard does it much more often but we've seen some real beauties from Ekholm for primary and secondary assists from below the hash marks.

Bouchard's apparent old man strength was never shown before Ekholm arrived. Grappling, like Judo, has been demonstrated multiple times during skirmishes and battles for positioning.

It's a cake bobby!
0I4A0403-2_1000x1000.jpg
Remember Bouchard making PLD his bitch in a scrum in the 1st round? Bouch has always been strong but he's been getting more and more willing to apply it to defense.
 

Tobias Kahun

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Oct 3, 2017
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I feel like he isn't good enough in his own zone. I believe Dallas will expose him a bit more in that area and we will have a somewhat similar game or two from him to his game 5 performance vs Van. If he handles Dallas with poise and looks excellent I'll eat my words.

Due to Mcdavid being injured and Drai elevating his game, I feel like it's pretty obvious that if the Oilers win the cup Drai will win the Smythe. The book makers obviously feel similar about Bouchard.
I think you meant to say.

“I hope Dallas exposes him” so you can run back here and give yourself a pat on the back
 

Broberg Speed

Registered User
Oct 23, 2020
8,129
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Remember Bouchard making PLD his bitch in a scrum in the 1st round? Bouch has always been strong but he's been getting more and more willing to apply it to defense.
Yes I do.

Who was Bouchard wrestling with against Vancouver in the crease? I saw some nifty takedowns.

He utilizes balance and momentum.
 

Perfect_Drug

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
16,133
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Montreal
I feel like he isn't good enough in his own zone. I believe Dallas will expose him a bit more in that area and we will have a somewhat similar game or two from him to his game 5 performance vs Van. If he handles Dallas with poise and looks excellent I'll eat my words.

Due to Mcdavid being injured and Drai elevating his game, I feel like it's pretty obvious that if the Oilers win the cup Drai will win the Smythe. The book makers obviously feel similar about Bouchard.

The Stars have nobody on the level of guys like JT miller or Brock Boeser.

The top end of their offense is comparable to the top end of the LA kings.
Imagine they can run 2x of the Kempe Kopitar Byfield line.
And they can push the Dubois Laferriere line out of the lineup.



I dunno, I feel like the Stars are beatable, and our team defense is being vastly underrated.

Yeah they out-depthed the Knights and Avalanche, which did us a huge favor because those teams were a bit more of a matchup nightmare for us.

I honestly feel like the Stars sort of resemble the Trotz era Islanders.
They're a final-4 team, but they're the ONE team left that doesn't have any elite talent.
 
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Whoshattenkirkshoes

Registered User
Aug 11, 2014
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The Stars have nobody on the level of guys like JT miller or Brock Boeser.

The top end of their offense is comparable to the top end of the LA kings.
Imagine they can run 2x of the Kempe Kopitar Byfield line.
And they can push the Dubois Laferriere line out of the lineup.



I dunno, I feel like the Stars are beatable, and our team defense is being vastly underrated.

Yeah they out-depthed the Knights and Avalanche, which did us a huge favor because those teams were a bit more of a matchup nightmare for us.

I honestly feel like the Stars sort of resemble the Trotz era Islanders.
They're a final-4 team, but they're the ONE team left that doesn't have any elite talent.
Where the Stars have us beat is their depth and goaltending. Lines 3 and 4 smoke ours. I also feel like they will do a better job tightly checking Mcdavid.

IMO the Avs would have been an easier matchup, especially after losing Nichushkin. Stars are very beatable tho.
 

Dazed and Confused

Ludicrous speed, GO!
Aug 10, 2007
6,420
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Berlin, Germany
Bouchard really took off after the Ekholm acquisition. They don't have that much similarities to their games, rather they compliment each other. Both use quick outlets to each other or the winger, or forward that makes themselves available for a pass, when the pressure is on.

Not sure I agree with this one. Imo Bouchard has learned a lot watching how Ekholm absorbs pressure and breaks the puck out, and the two of them now transition the puck in a near identical way. It's one thing that makes that pairing so hard to contain.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
34,725
15,340
You’d think it’d be obvious in the playoffs. Outside of playoffs whatever. But yeh, we should all put our egos away and support the Oil. That’s all that matters right now if you are a fan.
Okay...you are clearly not a dude in his 20's. ;)
 

Arpeggio

Registered User
Jul 20, 2006
9,260
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Edmonton
I'm not sure I understand the attitude of "well let's see if he makes a mistake against a really good team before we can call him elite". What he's already done is elite, he had an elite season by pretty much any metric you can measure. A point a game defenceman that goes +34 and then puts up nearly 2 ppg in the first two rounds of the playoffs is elite, full stop lol.

If the Oilers lose it's not because Bouchard isn't elite, it's because they ran into a better team.
 

Juxta Position

Registered User
Jul 2, 2006
2,361
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I feel like he isn't good enough in his own zone. I believe Dallas will expose him a bit more in that area and we will have a somewhat similar game or two from him to his game 5 performance vs Van. If he handles Dallas with poise and looks excellent I'll eat my words.

Due to Mcdavid being injured and Drai elevating his game, I feel like it's pretty obvious that if the Oilers win the cup Drai will win the Smythe. The book makers obviously feel similar about Bouchard.
Luckily for Bouchard and the Oilers, facts don't a give shit about how you "feel"

He's been fantastic in his own zone minus one giveaway to the pizzeria guy on Vancouver, but that was no more egregious than when Quinn Hughes forget how to play defense as Holloway snapped his ankles scoring that beautiful goal in game 6.
 

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