Player Discussion Evan Bouchard

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Knoblauch ch shouldn't have had him out there.

Get to overtime and give your big guns time to rest.

Knoblauch lost that game.

Bouchard lost us the game and Knobs attributed to it

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Unfortunately, the way the team is constructed Bouch is a necessarry evil. We just desperately need puck movers. Cant see us letting him go.

I am still a big fan of the player we saw last year and the few years prior. This version of the player not so much. Think we just have to stick with him and pray he finds his last year form. Dont think benching or not re-signing him is an option for the team .

I mean A few of us saw this coming from last year. Last year he wasn't amazing either. He had a little more luck go his way, but he still made a TON of bone head plays.

The reason his offence has fallen off is because teams are reading him and he does not have the skills to adapt. We wont see last years offensive player again...

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I understand the idea in theory to trade him for another young-ish dmen. I just dont know how many young dmen, who would be available have no flaws in there game. If there is the perfect trade out there sure, but I find that again, to be a hard need to thread.

We are in a tough situation with Bouch right now. He is the one asset right now that if we f*** up, could slam this window shut.

There are precious few defensemen that are in the NHL that has the defensive zone awareness flaws Bouchard has. I would argue that if he was not quite as dynamic offensively he would be in the AHL or Europe on a permanent basis given his terrible defensive play. Defencemen who play defence like Evan Bouchard are not NHL players because coaches cannot trust them.

This team sinks or swims with McDavid, Draisaitl and goaltending. Bouchard is a force multiplier on offence and complements the two megastars with his offensive flair but it craters when we witness a disturbing 2 goals he was responsible for last night and a terrible series of plays on the winning goal.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Where’s this notion that Dobson is some capable defender? They’re essentially the same player defensively

I do not believe Dobson makes the game in game out 5 star blunders that Bouchard makes. When Bouchard effs up, it's a 10 bell-er. I confess I do not watch a lot of Islander games but I have never seen nor heard of those huge gaffes in his game, and that said I do not see him on the highlight reels with tape to tape 150 foot passes either like Bouchard can do.

Someone said Bouchard's game is reminiscent of Erik Karlsson's but I don't even recall him making those huge blunders or not having an ounce of situational or positional awareness the way Bouchard does.

As well we saw how good he (Bouchard) can be in the last half of last season and in the playoffs he was incredible. This season he has regressed well past that. So I am not sure who he is but I do know we need clarity on the position along with defensive security going into McDavids final contract (or what might be his final contract with Edmonton at least). Bouchard in my opinion, right now cannot give you that so I move him for a D of similar age who is less dynamic offensively but more reliable defensively.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I do not believe Dobson makes the game in game out 5 star blunders that Bouchard makes. When Bouchard effs up, it's a 10 bell-er. I confess I do not watch a lot of Islander games but I have never seen nor heard of those huge gaffes in his game, and that said I do not see him on the highlight reels with tape to tape 150 foot passes either like Bouchard can do.

Someone said Bouchard's game is reminiscent of Erik Karlsson's but I don't even recall him making those huge blunders or not having an ounce of situational or positional awareness the way Bouchard does.

As well we saw how good he (Bouchard) can be in the last half of last season and in the playoffs he was incredible. This season he has regressed well past that. So I am not sure who he is but I do know we need clarity on the position along with defensive security going into McDavids final contract (or what might be his final contract with Edmonton at least). Bouchard in my opinion, right now cannot give you that so I move him for a D of similar age who is less dynamic offensively but more reliable defensively.

I think the major question in keeping Bouchard is what he wants for a contract.

If it’s anything close to 9-10m.

He can go tank another team, but he does have a valuable skill set and still makes more good plays than bad plays. People just ignore his good plays, for example his tape to tape pass to podkolzin who deflected it on net cause he has no puck skills.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I think the major question in keeping Bouchard is what he wants for a contract.

If it’s anything close to 9-10m.

He can go tank another team, but he does have a valuable skill set and still makes more good plays than bad plays. People just ignore his good plays, for example his tape to tape pass to podkolzin who deflected it on net cause he has no puck skills.

Idk about that his bad plays always end up n the back of the net

Even if it's close to even it doesn't make you a good player

 

[Dieseloil]

Fantastic offensive player, league replacement level defender. He is prime Tyson Barrie basically. He isn’t changing at his age either, he is what he is.

Valuable player to have, but not at anything approaching $9+ million

Barrie was better on the defensive side of the puck than this clown.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Idk about that his bad plays always end up n the back of the net

Even if it's close to even it doesn't make you a good player

Having some grade A turnovers doesn’t make you a bad player, I’ve seen mcdrai have atrocious turnovers that lead to goals against.

That being said, he needs to cut down on them substantially

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Barrie was better on the defensive side of the puck than this clown.

You’d think the results would show that, Barrie absolutely isn’t better defensively than Bouchard.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

amazing pass by Bouch to a wide ass open Danault, even McDavid would be proud

 

[guymez]

amazing pass by Bouch to a wide ass open Danault, even McDavid would be proud

View attachment 1020200

Yup...but its still Skinners fault.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Having some grade A turnovers doesn’t make you a bad player, I’ve seen mcdrai have atrocious turnovers that lead to goals against.

That being said, he needs to cut down on them substantially

Lots of Grade A turnovers. Watch him play and you can see his lack of processing ability all over the ice is the problem.


It's happened over and over this year you cant even deny it anymore. (Bouchard could play flawless the rest of the year and all this crap would hang over is head)

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I think the major question in keeping Bouchard is what he wants for a contract.

If it’s anything close to 9-10m.

He can go tank another team, but he does have a valuable skill set and still makes more good plays than bad plays. People just ignore his good plays, for example his tape to tape pass to podkolzin who deflected it on net cause he has no puck skills.

I’m operating / posting under the assumption he’s going to want a minimum of $10M.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

amazing pass by Bouch to a wide ass open Danault, even McDavid would be proud

View attachment 1020200

Seriously why would you do a backhanded pass in your own end?

 

[PitkanensGitch]

amazing pass by Bouch to a wide ass open Danault, even McDavid would be proud

View attachment 1020200

Put this screenshot on the monitor at the contract negotiation meeting. He's nowhere near a 10m guy. not even a 8m guy.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Lots of Grade A turnovers. Watch him play and you can see his lack of processing ability all over the ice is the problem.


It's happened over and over this year you cant even deny it anymore. (Bouchard could play flawless the rest of the year and all this crap would hang over is head)

Bouchard could win the conn smythe and you’d still think he sucks.

You’re as biased against him, as I am for him.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Yup...but it’s still Skinners fault.

Bouchard still outscored his gaffs and ended up +1.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Bouchard still outscored his gaffs and ended up +1.

Mcdavid is a whale of a talent, isn’t he. Carrying the corpse of this franchise to relevance.

 

[guymez]

Bouchard still outscored his gaffs and ended up +1.

Yeah...its called the McDavid factor.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Yeah...its called the McDavid factor.

Then why couldn't your boy Tyson Barrie make use of said McDavid factor to outscore his opponents to even remotely close to the same degree at even strength? Or this fanbase's golden boy Brett Kulak doing so at all?

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Barrie was better on the defensive side of the puck than this clown.

And yet he concedes goals at a far faster rate both during his Oilers tenure and throughout his career, and frequently gets hemmed in his own zone, where he bleeds chances against and gets caved in possession at a rate even higher than rookie Bouchard.

 

[Canovin]

Bouchard plays with no urgency. How much more when he signs that big deal? At this rate he should be signing 6M. Anything close to 9M or more he's getting run out of town with the type of plays he's making.

 

[MessierII]

Bouchard still outscored his gaffs and ended up +1.

This is where Bouchard becomes polarizing. He had a flat out bad game but still got 3 assists and was +1. Two of his assists were hand offs to McDavid. The one was actually a nice pass to get the lay started.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

This is where Bouchard becomes polarizing. He had a flat out bad game but still got 3 assists and was +1. Two of his assists were hand offs to McDavid. The one was actually a nice pass to get the lay started.

Over the course of a season, these things tend to even out. For every free secondary assist he leeches from McDavid, he also has a pinpoint accurate breakout pass that his teammates botch on the breakaway or 2 on 1. Not to mention he has plenty of points that were all him whether it be a great pass or a bomb of a shot.

 

[PitkanensGitch]

Then why couldn't your boy Tyson Barrie make use of said McDavid factor to outscore his opponents to even remotely close to the same degree at even strength? Or this fanbase's golden boy Brett Kulak doing so at all?

Nobody is disagreeing Bouchard is a better passer at even strength. Bouchard has great vision.

Let's not forget Tyson Barrie was the top scoring defenceman in the entire NHL playing the PP with these guys. Lmao.