Would you trade Bouchard?

Would you trade Bouchard?

  • yes

    Votes: 40 24.1%
  • no

    Votes: 122 73.5%
  • other

    Votes: 4 2.4%

  • Total voters
    166
There's a good chance Bouchard's performance in the playoffs this year, looks somewhat like last year. He's significantly hurt his future contract value with a subpar regular season in a contract year. It all might work out in the Oiler's favour wrt his AAV on a bridge deal
100% he hurt himself thus far. I doubt he gets taken for 4 Nations.

His only redeem will be playoffs. He will have to match his last playoffs to maximize his pay imo

He's been been pretty bad this year and in the media.
 
I think the only way you trade Bouch is if you believe...

A) you're getting far better value than you would with Bouchard at 9 to 11 mil, and
B) You have a proper replacement for his offence lined up.

For example, if someone's offering me multiple high picks and quality depth pieces, and I've got a deal for someone like Durzi line up for far cheaper; Then I'd think long and hard about it.

Otherwise, hell no.
 
I think the only way you trade Bouch is if you believe...

A) you're getting far better value than you would with Bouchard at 9 to 11 mil, and
B) You have a proper replacement for his offence lined up.

For example, if someone's offering me multiple high picks and quality depth pieces, and I've got a deal for someone like Durzi line up for far cheaper; Then I'd think long and hard about it.

Otherwise, hell no.
Since Gretzky was traded (yah I know sold) it is clear that any player could be traded in the right circumstance. But Bouchard is very unlikely to return the value you are giving up. He is the type of player that I believe you will lose a trade on if you do so especially if the deal is based on the perception of excess contract demands.

What would Utah give you in addition to Durzi for Bouchard? Probably not much that helps you right now and I suspect less than it would take to make the flip. The extra cap space would be the the main asset you get.

People want a player with no warts. But there are very very few of those in the league. Bouchard fits this team extremely well. And like it or not his main skill, offense, gets you paid.
 
Since Gretzky was traded (yah I know sold) it is clear that any player could be traded in the right circumstance. But Bouchard is very unlikely to return the value you are giving up. He is the type of player that I believe you will lose a trade on if you do so especially if the deal is based on the perception of excess contract demands.

What would Utah give you in addition to Durzi for Bouchard? Probably not much that helps you right now and I suspect less than it would take to make the flip. The extra cap space would be the the main asset you get.

People want a player with no warts. But there are very very few of those in the league. Bouchard fits this team extremely well. And like it or not his main skill, offense, gets you paid.

Oh I didn't mean that it's the same trade.

Let's say CAR wants a long term replacement for Burns, and they're willing to offer multiple 1sts + for Bouch, as they want to make another big splash and really open they're cup window.

I'd consider that IF I can find a second deal for a less flashy player, who can get close to producing Bouchard's offence and won't cost as much cap- or asset-wise. Durzi's an example of someone who fits that.


My main point though is getting good value on Bouchard isn't enough, you also need to have a solution to replace him at the ready.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nturn06
Oh I didn't mean that it's the same trade.

Let's say CAR wants a long term replacement for Burns, and they're willing to offer multiple 1sts + for Bouch, as they want to make another big splash and really open they're cup window.

I'd consider that IF I can find a second deal for a less flashy player, who can get close to producing Bouchard's offence and won't cost as much cap- or asset-wise. Durzi's an example of someone who fits that.


My main point though is getting good value on Bouchard isn't enough, you also need to have a solution to replace him at the ready.
To be honest a couple of late firsts plus some addons with not much value is probably what you get. Then to get a guy like Durzi you probably need to give up one of those first plus probably a 2nd to convince Utah to move Durzi. So you end up with Durzi and the difference between a late first and a late second. You save some cap for a couple of years but if Durzi has any success you are probably looking at $8-9M to resign him given the possible cap in 2028-2029.

And I absolutely agree that you need a plan to replace him if you are even thinking about a trade. The problem for me is that that plan is not going to be at all easy to execute if you want to keep the team at at least the same level.
 
Your eye test is clouded by your emotion - not logical.

Every single stat, literally EVERY SINGLE ONE, shows that Bouchard IS one of the best 5v5 defenders in the league.

Bro if you legit think Bouchard is one of the best 5 v5 Defencemen in the NHL?

Why is he not on team Canada? Even after Pietrangelo dropped out?
 
This is just wrong on soo many levels.

Please, sincerely, please explain what the other teams are doing to make him struggle? I'm genuinely interested to know
It's not wrong at all. It's a known fact around the NHL. Other teams scout this.

For example when Bouchard has the puck on the point in the Offensive zone he holds on to it too long before moving it or shooting it. He processes too slowly so a lot of his passes/ shots are getting picked off. Players like Kucherov or Drai already know where they want to pass the puck before they receive it. They are always thinking. (like Wayne)

Because Bouchard processes the game slowly teams are pressing him when he has the puck. They skate right at him and force him to decide fast.

Bouchard needs to have the puck on his stick before he decides what to do with it. This makes him look lackadaisical and lost on the ice.

I called this last year.
 
It’s funny watching you rip Bouchard every chance and then congratulate Emberson on being a top 4 D man, when Bouchard is miles better than him as a whole.
Embersson has vastly exceeded expectations while Bouchard has way underperformed this season. Am I wrong????

I never said Embersson was better than Bouchard......

There is a reason why Bouchard didn't make team Canada yet you guys act like he's one of the best Defencemen in the entire NHL. I've never seen a more bias take on a player.

Nuge put up 104 points but the reality is he is probably a 60 point player. We're not going to see Bouchard replicate last seasons performance, you guys will eventually learn.
 
Bro if you legit think Bouchard is one of the best 5 v5 Defencemen in the NHL?

Why is he not on team Canada? Even after Pietrangelo dropped out?

Wow...

You really got me there, good one!

Take it from the goalie (I hate one dimensional D-men) who actually started the "Trade Bouchard" thread last season (around Nov). If you can't see what he's rounding into, you've got your blinders on.

All of what you are seeing has some truth to it... you are just frankly letting your frustration (emotion) cloud your judgement to the point that you can't see the REST of what he's doing out there.

PS: people keying in on Bouch at the point and him holding the puck... did it occur to you that there is player movement happening that his holding of the puck allows? I mean honestly... you are talking about the guy with the third most touches on the world's best powerplay OF ALL TIME. OF ALL TIME DUDE... and you have the arrogance to criticize his performance there? That's some kind of special.
 
I've never seen a more bias take on a player.

Me neither.

Try finding ONE STAT, just one, that supports your opinion. We'll all wait.

Until then, ALL OF THE EVIDENCE says that his 1-2 huge gaffs per game at the opponent's blueline are completely overmatched statistically by all of the good plays he's making all night.
 
Only if the return is a steal for us. Like a young top 4 Defenseman that's on the upswing. A legit high-end goaltender with a good prospect and a high pick.

Otherwise NO!

Bouchard can still improve defensively. He's not even that bad defensively it's just when he does makes a mistake it's egregious that it's so noticeable almost to a blooper point of view.

That being said, you cannot replace his shot or offensive awareness. Plus he's still developing and young.
 
Last edited:
It's not wrong at all. It's a known fact around the NHL. Other teams scout this.

For example when Bouchard has the puck on the point in the Offensive zone he holds on to it too long before moving it or shooting it. He processes too slowly so a lot of his passes/ shots are getting picked off. Players like Kucherov or Drai already know where they want to pass the puck before they receive it. They are always thinking. (like Wayne)

Because Bouchard processes the game slowly teams are pressing him when he has the puck. They skate right at him and force him to decide fast.

Bouchard needs to have the puck on his stick before he decides what to do with it. This makes him look lackadaisical and lost on the ice.

I called this last year.
Your understanding of play selection is faulty. People scout the team and look for tells. Then they mine those tells until the players find a response.

If he demands too much, we should trade Bouchard and keep Broberg... Oh, wait, nevermind...
You can probably get broberg back if you trade them Bouchard. Maybe even they would add a couple of firsts also.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobbythebrain
Bouchard has played his best hockey of the year during the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. I don't really care if his numbers are down a little bit, that's the guy you want on your team during contending seasons. You'd think that would mean something to Oiler fans especially.

I'd pay whatever it costs to keep him. It might be another 20-30 years before we get a defenceman like Bouchard again.
 
Bro if you legit think Bouchard is one of the best 5 v5 Defencemen in the NHL?

Why is he not on team Canada? Even after Pietrangelo dropped out?
Because Team Canada is being built by nincompoops that don't understand stats?

Also somewhat related: me literally every time I see a "BUT HE LEADS THE TEAM IN GIVEAWAYS" argument

1738169647976.png
 
I think the only way you trade Bouch is if you believe...

A) you're getting far better value than you would with Bouchard at 9 to 11 mil, and
B) You have a proper replacement for his offence lined up.

For example, if someone's offering me multiple high picks and quality depth pieces, and I've got a deal for someone like Durzi line up for far cheaper; Then I'd think long and hard about it.

Otherwise, hell no.
and see, for me, I don't care how many high picks and depth pieces I'm being offered.

Bouchard to Durzi is a downgrade, and a sizeable one. Contenders don't downgrade their defence to pick up a bunch of stuff.

Also consider if you trade Bouchard for stuff and then stuff for Durzi, what's left over? a 2nd maybe? A B prospect? That doesn't make sense.
 
Last edited:
By Kris Russell you mean Ekholm. Give me another Ekholm over a Dman like Bouchard any day. 45 points a season while giving steller defense and only costing 7.5% of the salary cap at the time of signing.
Ekholm doesn’t get 45 points without Bouchard though. He got that because his D partner is one of the best offensive D in the game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: McDoused
and see, for me, I don't care how many high picks and depth pieces I'm being offered.

Bouchard to Durzi is a downgrade, and a sizeable one. Contenders don't downgrade their defence to pick up a bunch of stuff.

Also consider if you trade Bouchard for stuff and then stuff for Durzi, what's left over? a 2nd maybe? A B prospect? That doesn't make sense.
People seem to forget Bouchard was arguably our second best player in the playoffs of a team that went to game 7 of the finals.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad