Player Discussion Evan Bouchard

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

And the opposite posters rush here anytime he makes a mistake.

Actually this is false. I waited probably 40 percent of the season or so before I bumped the thread.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Games like these are why Bouchard is valuable. Yeah he has some egregious defensive lapses and giveaways, but he'll have games where he's a driving force in the transition game, extended 5v5 offensive possessions, and the power play, and contributes to wins more than enough to make up for it.

Does it really make up for it? Or do you just have blinders on? Offensively including the PP he hasn't even been that good this year.

Sure Bouchard had a strong game. He probably saved our series. You could argue he played like a 10 million dollar player last night, but you can also argue that his game 1 and a good chunk of the season he played like an AHL guy. Is this not correct?

BTW Evan has more than "some" egregious lapses.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Does it really make up for it? Or do you just have blinders on? Offensively including the PP he hasn't even been that good this year.

Sure Bouchard had a strong game. He probably saved our series. You could argue he played like a 10 million dollar player last night, but you can also argue that his game 1 and a good chunk of the season he played like an AHL guy. Is this not correct?

BTW Evan has more than "some" egregious lapses.

Its not correct. Booch is the third primary talent on this club behind only McD and Drai. On a team that will be losing a lot of players to age anyway you keep a Booch because he will and should be part of your core for years.

What AHL D would be in the NHL going PPG for collectively two seasons and playoffs? What AHL D would be behind ONLY Makar in production by D, in the NHL, during that time?

We sure undersell our own star players here.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Does it really make up for it? Or do you just have blinders on? Offensively including the PP he hasn't even been that good this year.

Sure Bouchard had a strong game. He probably saved our series. You could argue he played like a 10 million dollar player last night, but you can also argue that his game 1 and a good chunk of the season he played like an AHL guy. Is this not correct?

BTW Evan has more than "some" egregious lapses.

The only person with blinders on is you lol. That "AHL guy" you speak of had a 92-75 even strength goal differential. Best on the team among D. And would've been even more dominant if not for Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard hurting his (and everyone else's) stats.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Does it really make up for it? Or do you just have blinders on? Offensively including the PP he hasn't even been that good this year.

Sure Bouchard had a strong game. He probably saved our series. You could argue he played like a 10 million dollar player last night, but you can also argue that his game 1 and a good chunk of the season he played like an AHL guy. Is this not correct?

BTW Evan has more than "some" egregious lapses.

AHL D, really showing your knowledge on this matter.

 

[Fishy McScales]

I think the Karlsson/Bouchard comparison is pretty accurate, and both players had sustained runs where they switched the flip and played at an MVP level.


But like Karlsson, a massive contract will be incredibly high-risk. When Bouchard's on he's probably worth 12+, but it's been rare this season

A big difference is that Karlsson was 29 and already dealing with injuries when he signed his deal.

Bouchard is 25 and has no injury history to speak of.

If this is what Bouch looks like in his formative D-man years, you lock him up even if the contract is pricey.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Its not correct. Booch is the third primary talent on this club behind only McD and Drai. On a team that will be losing a lot of players to age anyway you keep a Booch because he will and should be part of your core for years.

What AHL D would be in the NHL going PPG for collectively two seasons and playoffs? What AHL D would be behind ONLY Makar in production by D, in the NHL, during that time?

We sure undersell our own star players here.

Sure, when he's on his game this is true.... I never said he was an AHL player. I said he has played like one for good parts of this season. I'm talking about his frustrating inconsistency that doesn't seem like it's getting any better.

Bouchard gets a ton a points by being the 3rd wheel with Mcdavid and Leon.(game 1) Makar generates more offence on his own, but I am talking about Bouchard and his AHL level defence on some nights. Not Offence.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

The only person with blinders on is you lol. That "AHL guy" you speak of had a 92-75 even strength goal differential. Best on the team among D. And would've been even more dominant if not for Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard hurting his (and everyone else's) stats.

Calvin Picard and Stu both suck, but so did Bouchard's defence this season. He was a high danger turnover machine and looked like hot garbage without Ekholm. I admit Bouchard has talent and won us the last game, but don't forget about all his stinkers this season.

I'm pretty sure me and my "blinders" go both ways, unlike you guys who don't admit when he's had terrible games. For the 100th time, he arguably lost us game 1 and won us game 2.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

AHL D, really showing your knowledge on this matter.

As did you when you said he would be Canada's second best defensemen.

 

[bobbythebrain]

He looked better in front of Pickard quite a bit this season. I know you need Bouchard to be the worst defenseman ever so you can prop up Stu, but reality disagrees with you.

Bouchard played the best hockey of his career infront of both, but mostly Skinner.

Your take was indeed ridiculous

 

[Tobias Kahun]

As did you when you said he would be Canada's second best defensemen.

Yeah he’s been pretty shit this year, but was absolutely elite last year and was one of canadas best D men last year.

He’s still been higher than a AHL D this year.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Bouchard played the best hockey of his career infront of both, but mostly Skinner.

Your take was indeed ridiculous

But BumblebeeBrain, you missed where I said “this season,” silly!

 

[bobbythebrain]

But BumblebeeBrain, you missed where I said “this season,” silly!

Stats to support your nonsensical claim?

l.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Stats to support your nonsensical claim?

l.

Well I said he looked better in front of Pickard and many people seem to agree that the team plays better in front of Pickard, so it's really just an observation, but feel free to prove me wrong here, as I haven't done much to back it up. It seems like all of these games where the media and this place piles on him because he has these high-danger giveaways or just seems to stand there as a goal is scored is when Stu is in net. Maybe it just feels that way because Stu plays more?

 

[Leafshater67]

It’s not Bouchard’s fault he has the worst starting goalie of any playoff team in net. Skinner sucks. Period. You can’t blame the D for that logically still at this point.

 

[McDNicks17]

Fun little stat: Bouchard has the ninth most playoff game winning goals by a defenseman all-time.

Or the most by anyone born after 1974.


He's 1 behind Murphy, Potvin, Gonchar and Orr. Two behind Stevens, Neidermeyer and Coffey. Five behind Lidstrom.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This Bouchard kid is good. Still any doubters?

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

He is literally him. He is THE Bright Lights Merchant of the National Hockey League. You can criticize some of his plays on the goals against, but when we needed him most, he stepped the f*** up and made up for his mistakes and then some.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He is literally him. He is THE Bright Lights Merchant of the National Hockey League. You can criticize some of his plays on the goals against, but when we needed him most, he stepped the f*** up and made up for his mistakes and then some.

Nice to see him elevate yet again after a brutal effort on the 3rd GA.

 

[Leafshater67]

This Bouchard kid is good. Still any doubters?

He could win every trophy there is and the stat watchers wound crap on him like they do any offensive Dman.

The truth is if he had a goalie playing behind him, there’s be no shitting on him like there is now. He’s a game breaker and his game elevates when it matters most.

 

[Arpeggio]

Live by the Bouch, Die by the Bouch.

He had me questioning him after the first two games. Never again. Dude is a proven legit big game player. Can't deny it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

He could win every trophy there is and the stat watchers wound crap on him like they do any offensive Dman.

The truth is if he had a goalie playing behind him, there’s be no shitting on him like there is now. He’s a game breaker and his game elevates when it matters most.

i swear if Booch was a Leaf, god forbid they would be talking him up as Bobby Orr or Paul Coffey.

He has 4G's in 4Games this playoffs. That bloody incredible for a D. He had a 67pt regular season. But all the criticism.

 

[Shizuka]

The mercurial nature of his game.. I mean, what more of an exemplary sample than tonight? -3 going into the 3rd, wearing the goat horns for that Foegele turnover and 3-1 goal, and then he scores 2 in the 3rd to draw them even in the last minute. They will have no choice but to sign him.. and they will need to find another Ekholm (good luck) to settle him down. The Viking covers off *alot* of the warts there. Man are we going to miss Ekholm when his contract is up.

 

[Oilhawks]

Bouchard continues his Big Game Hunting tonight

Suck it, haters

 

[Tobias Kahun]

4 goals in 4 games.

Is karen smashing her shoes by now?

doofus.

Not bad for a AHLer.