The Edmonton Oilers Evan Bouchard had a career-year this past season in what was his fifth full season in the NHL. For his efforts, he placed highly on the NHL Network’s recent top 20 defensemen list. Bouchard just about cracked the top half of the running with a tenth position placement on the list.
Bouchard has Emerged as Edmonton’s Top Defender
Bouchard has improved his game considerably throughout his stint with the Alberta club. He has always been able to produce from the blueline with his high offensive awareness. Bouchard carries with him a bomb of a slapshot from the point that he has utilized to his advantage, especially on the power play. Edmonton has consistently iced an elite power play across the 2020s; Bouchard has been one of their top contributors. It is with the man advantage where he has been able to connect often with the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The statistical metric is an area he has only improved upon, having posted career-highs offensively this past year. He amassed 21 goals and 74 assists for 95 points in 82 regular season games. In the playoffs, he recorded one goal and six assists for seven points in six games. Over the course of his 429 game career with the Oilers, he has totaled 76 goals and 257 assists for 333 points in regular season play. In the postseason, he has registered 21 goals and 67 assists for 88 points in 81 games.
The aspect of Bouchard’s game that has caused the most polarization when it comes to rating his ability as a defenseman is the play in his own end. Bouchard is known to be an offensive-oriented defenseman for a reason. That is the area of the game where he is most effective. His defensive game has been inconsistent with persistent issues of turning the puck over. Nevertheless, he has shown improvement from that regard compared to when he first entered the league.
Bouchard Looking to Change Oilers Fortunes
This past season was a strong one for Bouchard, but a disappointing campaign for his Oilers club. While his Edmonton squad once again returned to the postseason, they were surprisingly eliminated in round one by the Anaheim Ducks. This has led to a coaching change over the offseason by general manager Stan Bowman as he brought in Mike Babcock to lead the charge. The pressure is high for this team to bounce back in 2026-2027.
If the Oilers are to finally breakthrough for that Stanley Cup win with this McDavid-led core, Bouchard will have to play a major factor from the blueline. He carries a $10.5 million contract that keeps him on the team’s books until 2029. He will continue to be counted on to perform as the team’s number one defenseman moving forward. The fact Edmonton moved veteran defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks this summer shows their confidence in Bouchard’s ability from the back-end. He will be expected to step it up even more in Nurse’s absence in what will be an adjusted Oilers defensive core this season.
Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard Cracks NHL’s Top 10 Defensemen List