When will Bouchard be considered elite?

[ijuka]

Hopefully we don't see him tested without Ekholm in the near future. Bouchard has not looked as good when Ekholm was hurt to start the season and when Knob mixed up the pairings in the spring to see what was what.

Most players don't look as good without their defensive partner.

This narrative about Ekholm being this massively game-changing, earth-shattering player only started in order to discredit Bouchard. When he played for Nashville for years, no one ever paid him much attention.

 

[Silky Johnson]

Do you realize how hard it is for people to say an Oiler is elite? Give them one thing, anything, and they will cling to it and use it as a reason why he's three levels below where he actually is.

Yeah, very few of your players historically or presently have been called elite...I mean you guys are really known for being a team of no name grinders.

It's not like your franchise has like by far the most Hart trophy winners relative to season in existence...no way you guys would get that kind of recognition....

 

[macbowes]

 

[Silky Johnson]

Delete

 

[The Panther]

Just, please, get him a better nickname.

Well, I don't know if it's a nickname or just something they say when he shoots from the point, but Bouch bomb? Cmon.

The 'Chard Nunchuck?

Having watched nearly every Oilers' game since Bouchard was first called up, this is what I think of his defensive game:

2021-22 = Terrible
2022-23 = So-So
2023-24 = Great

He is a completely different player with the puck in his own end, and also without the puck in his own end, this season.

Playing with Ekholm obviously helps, and that pairing is about as good as any pairing in the NHL right now.

 

[Buck Naked]

View attachment 873825

Let's see if I can do this correctly. *clears throat*

• Just wait until he gets to play a REAL team!!!"##
• He's leeching off of McDavid and Draisaitl!!!##!
• Ekholm is the elite one !!##"#"
• How's his production after the second round in the playoffs?"?#!
• He should learn how to play defense!"#!#!#!
• The pacific is the EASIEST division!"#!#!#!

Hope y'all can take me seriously now since I have the bestest opinions rather than relying on facts and figures.

 

[Breakers]

When people start looking at advanced stats. Best D in the league by them this season.

not really

 

[TheNumber4]

He’s already elite. Better than elite. Tried to give everyone that heads up a year ago.

 

[Buck Naked]

Comparing to Makar's 2022 playoffs where he was Lion Kinged up as generational by some.

Makar 2022 (through two first series in perenthesis):

54.17 (65.22)

GF%

61.64 (65.53)

xGF%

64.59 (67.51)

SCF%

58.28 (64.63)

HDCF%

3.95 (4.5)

GF/60

3.34 (2.4)

GA/60

Bouchard 2024:

GF%

68.00

xGF%

60.30

SCF%

62.09

HDCF%

65.88

GF/60

4.55

GA/60

2.14

I think we can conclude that Bouchard is doing fine and that a dropoff should be expected. But anyone who says he's not elite should honestly log out and never return.

 

[Frosty415]

If he ever ends up playing like an elite defenseman

he did while stomping your team

 

[nerevarine]

I have him as a top 3 defenseman in the league right now

 

[thekernel]

he did while stomping your team

Not the most deluded Oiler fan post I've seen but certainly a contender

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

2nd best shooter amongst Dmen after Makar, average+ defender, great passer, great poise with the puck on his stick, and an absolute perfect fit for the Oilers in his role.

I think Ekholm is the Oilers #1D, but Bouchard is one of the best offensive defenseman in the league & great in his role. Don't think he's a top 5-10 D overall tho.

 

[TheSuperElite]

Not the most deluded Oiler fan post I've seen but certainly a contender

Numbers don't lie, facts don't care about feelings.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Not bad for an ECHLer.

 

[Pucklington]

He makes some mistakes and is sometimes too casual, but IMO he was the MVP of a playoff series that had McDavid, Draisaitl, Hughes, Petterson, Hyman, Miller, Boeser, etc. in it. He was the best player on either team in that series. He outplayed the probable Norris trophy winner (Hughes probably) by a pretty sizable margin in that series. He deserves some props.

He is MVP if Oilers can somehow win Stanely Cup.

 

[thekernel]

All your posts are legit crying. TAKE THE L

Straight-up stalker behavior. I think you're overdue to take your own L

 

[Scema12]

Straight-up stalker behavior. I think you're overdue to take your own L

Can't take an L, when we took the W baby!!!

 

[Pucklington]

When his defense improves.

+/-, advanced stats, and eye test disagree.

Defense is about a lot more than advanced stats. If he was that great, he’d be considered elite already.

+/- and eye test then... what else is there...

Small sample size. I remember a thread just like this one two years ago. Let’s see how his defense holds up against Dallas first.

24 games isn't small sample size.

Again, let’s see how he does against Dallas.

What if your aunt was your mother? Hyperbole and conjecture matter less than facts.

Dude, your team just made it to the conference final. Be happy with that. Not everyone needs to fawn over your players. Sorry we don’t agree.

Why does this seem to bother you so much?

Or the main reason is because they’re in the weakest division.

Argument doesn't seem to be supported by fact. Oilers have best record in NHL since November, Vegas won cup last year, and Vancouver was fighting for Presidents trophy for 95% of the year.

Also 50% of the West Conf Playoffs were Pacific Teams.

Surely you’re aware that if he struggles, it’ll be just like all the other times the Oilers have faced actual contenders.

So you are aware if the sun went Supernova, we would all die 8 minutes later.


The average HF poster with a strong opinion who has clearly not watched the player, and relies on lazy outdated takes from 2021.

 

[thekernel]

Can't take an L, when we took the W baby!!!

Nobody is fooled by this attempt to deflect

 

[Scema12]

Nobody is fooled by this attempt to deflect

 

[LordBacon]

Very good player, I'll admit I was wrong about him.
Edmonton got themselves a player.

Very Interested to see how he plays against Dallas.

 

[AppreciateHockey]

Bouchard should be thanking Nurse sarcastically for taking a lot of his money. That´s for sure.

 

[Three On Zero]

Going to go out on a limb and say when he actually becomes elite. He’s turning into a decent complimentary level defenceman

 

[NyQuil]

24 games isn't small sample size.

Really?