Jekyll and Hyde- What should Edmonton do with Evan Bouchard?

[KrisLetAngry]

I also dont understand why Bouchard has over 40% Dzone starts? At this point, Edmonton needs to start sheltering him... even Cale Makar only has 28% Dzone starts

Interesting. 28% that's some solid deployment for Makar.

I will say Makar is no slouch to defense though.

 

[DJJones]

Sign a short bridge contract and reassess in two years

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

The guy is horrendous defensively. You can pair him with a prime pronger or Lidstrom and he would still look like a minor league defenseman.

The guy should be a winger not a defenseman. I bet he would score 20 goals a year if he was.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Oilers should shelter him but they have no one on the right side to do it. Play him on the PP and Ozone faceoffs. He has zero urgency on defence and doesn't recognize danger fast enough.


He was a 40 point player when Barrie was on the 1st PP. Once Barrie got traded and he took the spot he's been close to a PPG. The problem is he gets a point per game but directly causes 2 goals against per game.

I think part of the problem is Bouchard hasn't really been sheltered at all so far this year. From a zonestart perspective, Nurse and Ceci have faced easier deployment.

Bouchard was sheltered last year and looked orders of magnitude better.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Should have rebuilt their D years ago but now they’re in a bind as they need to compete during McDrai’s prime years.
At this point they have no options except to re-sign Bouchard on a bridge deal. They need to add 3 defensive D to shelter each pairing. And somehow find a solid starting goalie. That’s a tall order with no cap space and not many tradeable assets. Especially for a GM like Holland. This year is a write-off so they need to start finding those pieces.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Edmonton and their fans are really taking it in the chin these days.

I'm getting close to feeling sorry for them a little.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

You're crazy. Swap him for say Zub and somehow everyone else is doing a lot less mistakes. We saw it last year with an healthy Ekholm. Now add in another one? He is absolutely that bad defensively and its not just defensively, its transition wise too.

Bouchard has 10 points at even strength.

Every other defenseman we have combined has 14.

The troubles on D aren't just on Bouchard. The only defenceman on the team with a positive GF% is Cody Ceci, hilariously enough. If they're all getting hammered because of dogshit goaltending (and most are) but one guy is actually producing, it's not necessarily wise to ditch him when nobody else can produce anything.

 

[Mrb1p]

Bouchard has 10 points at even strength.

Every other defenseman we have combined has 14.

The troubles on D aren't just on Bouchard. The only defenceman on the team with a positive GF% is Cody Ceci, hilariously enough. If they're all getting hammered because of dogshit goaltending (and most are) but one guy is actually producing, it's not necessarily wise to ditch him when nobody else can produce anything.

Your goaltending, defense and Bouchard can all suck at the same time, it doesnt have to be exclusively one.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Your goaltending, defense and Bouchard can all suck at the same time, it doesnt have to be exclusively one.

Edmonton's last 10 games, Bouchard has been on for 8 goals for and 8 goals against. This narrative that he's hurting the team just doesn't hold water.

Over the same timeframe, Desharnais has been on for 2 goals for and 6 goals against.

 

[Mrb1p]

Edmonton's last 10 games, Bouchard has been on for 8 goals for and 8 goals against. This narrative that he's hurting the team just doesn't hold water.

Over the same timeframe, Desharnais has been on for 2 goals for and 6 goals against.

How many of those were with McDrai for both? Were they all at ES?

Regardless of the last ten games though... hes sucked all his life defensively, its not new.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

How many of those were with McDrai for both? Were they all at ES?

Regardless of the last ten games though... hes sucked all his life defensively, its not new.

They were indeed all 5v5, so Bouchard is treading water there.

McDavid and Draisaitl have been so human this year I don't think it matters much.

 

[wetcoast]

You're crazy. Swap him for say Zub and somehow everyone else is doing a lot less mistakes. We saw it last year with an healthy Ekholm. Now add in another one? He is absolutely that bad defensively and its not just defensively, its transition wise too.

Like I said the whole team is a mess trying to make Bouchard as the whipping boy is silly.

 

[Mrb1p]

They were indeed all 5v5, so Bouchard is treading water there.

McDavid and Draisaitl have been so human this year I don't think it matters much.

Them being human still makes them much better than your bottom.6.

Like I said the whole team is a mess trying to make Bouchard as the whipping boy is silly.

Yes the Oilers suck, bouchard is one of the driving factor of this. Hes way too high in the lineup.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

It's surprising how long Edmonton waited to get a guy like Ekholm. He is their #1D. If only Edmonton can find another Ekholm. On a true contender Ekholm is a #3D. He's a better version of Braydon McNabb but not by much.

 

[Coffey]

Evan Bouchar

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Edmonton's last 10 games, Bouchard has been on for 8 goals for and 8 goals against. This narrative that he's hurting the team just doesn't hold water.

Over the same timeframe, Desharnais has been on for 2 goals for and 6 goals against.

If the majority of those shifts were with McDavid/Draisaitl, that's not good at all. You should be better than break even when you're on the ice with the best two players.

 

[GOilers88]

What does their age have to do with anything?

 

[ChaoticOrange]

If the majority of those shifts were with McDavid/Draisaitl, that's not good at all. You should be better than break even when you're on the ice with the best two players.

Over those same last ten games, McDavid has been on for 5GF 6GA, and Draisaitl has been on for 8GF 10GA. Bouchard's been better than they have, in all honesty.

McDavid has been playing with at least two injuries which is really hampering him, but the underlying problem is and was that the goaltending can't stop a bosu ball.

 

[The Worst One]

The bottom line is Edmonton is f***ed.

 

[elitepete]

If they were smart, they would trade him for a veteran top 4 defenseman like Tanev or Murphy. Add to him if needed.

 

[crowi]

Should put this guy in as a winger. He is not a top-4 defenseman in the NHL. I highly doubt he'll ever be.

 

[JPeeper]

"has become a defensive liability" ?

What? The guy has always been a complete dumpster fire in his own zone and on defensive rushes. Flames may have got rolled in the Edmonton series a few years back, but go back and watch some of the plays he is involved in defensively, some of the worst defending you'll ever see.

 

[Gary Bets Man]

Oilers should shelter him but they have no one on the right side to do it. Play him on the PP and Ozone faceoffs. He has zero urgency on defence and doesn't recognize danger fast enough.


He was a 40 point player when Barrie was on the 1st PP. Once Barrie got traded and he took the spot he's been close to a PPG. The problem is he gets a point per game but directly causes 2 goals against per game.

Oilers should shelter him but they have no one on the right side to do it. Play him on the PP and Ozone faceoffs. He has zero urgency on defence and doesn't recognize danger fast enough.


He was a 40 point player when Barrie was on the 1st PP. Once Barrie got traded and he took the spot he's been close to a PPG. The problem is he gets a point per game but directly causes 2 goals against per game.

I see, still seems like a small sample size to label him ppg defenseman though. It’s become more common, it is still pretty rare for any Dman to keep it up for a whole season.

It seems like many Edmonton fans like to put as much blame on a couple players for their defensive woes.

Letang was similar at the start of his career, maybe still has some little defensive farts, but nobody really entertained moving him or not giving him top minutes

I would take your Bouchard at his age in a second with all his shortcomings.

 

[devo09]

He’s no better than Tyson Barrie defensively and Barrie was even better as a PP QB. Holland traded the wrong guy

 

[Oleksiak]

If they were smart, they would trade him for a veteran top 4 defenseman like Tanev or Murphy. Add to him if needed.

You'd need to add a 1st rounder to get a team to even consider taking Bouchard with no return. There's no way a team will part with an actual NHLer going the other way.