Prospect Info: 2018 Draft: 1st pick: Evan Bouchard (D) - Sent back to London (11/02/18)

[Soundwave]

Problem with Bear is Bouchard has been way better on the cycle winning battles w/ his bodty than Bear has ever shown

Seems the only argument to bring up Bear is b/c of his seniority..but Bear got lit up in reg season on cycles and man to man play

Yeah if it happens again, you send him down in a hurry but I think we owe it to ourselves to see what we got in that player. His slapper honestly is more explosive than anyone I've seen on the Oilers since Souray (including Bouchard).

I think you just run

Klefbom Larsson
Nurse Russell
Gravel Benning
Bear

 

[bobbythebrain]

Yeah if it happens again, you send him down in a hurry but I think we owe it to ourselves to see what we got in that player. His slapper honestly is more explosive than anyone I've seen on the Oilers since Souray (including Bouchard).

I think you just run

Klefbom Larsson
Nurse Russell
Gravel Benning
Bear

It's a conundrum imo. Yes, Bear deserves a shot.

No, Bouchard has nothing to learn in the OHL, and sending him down would be nothing shy of a cop out to his development

The truly logical move is just to replace Benning, cuz he is been gawd awful..but he has contract to answer for

Again, imo, Bouchard to the minors would be a terrible move. He ain't learning jack shit down there to ready him for the NHL

 

[Soundwave]

It's a conundrum imo. Yes, Bear deserves a shot.

No, Bouchard has nothing to learn in the OHL, and sending him down would be nothing shy of a cop out to his development

The truly logical move is just to replace Benning, cuz he is been gawd awful..but he has contract to answer for

Again, imo, Bouchard to the minors would be a terrible move. He ain't learning jack **** down there to ready him for the NHL

I really don't think it hurts players at all. We sent Leon back to the CHL and he came back the following season like twice the player.

There's also the World Junior tournament and Memorial Cup that hopefully he can experience and learn from.

He'll be roaring to go by next September and playing over 10% of an NHL regular season isn't a bad amount of exposure either.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I really don't think it hurts players at all. We sent Leon back to the CHL and he came back the following season like twice the player.

There's also the World Junior tournament and Memorial Cup that hopefully he can experience and learn from.

He'll be roaring to go by next September and playing over 10% of an NHL regular season isn't a bad amount of exposure either.

We sent Leon down for 9 games. Everybody kew he was coning back quick

Boosh is an overeager who decimated the league who will be way more physically advanced. Totally different scenario

 

[Soundwave]

We sent Leon down for 9 games. Everybody kew he was coning back quick

Boosh is an overeager who decimated the league who will be way more physically advanced. Totally different scenario

I could be wrong, but in 14-15 we sent Draisaitl back down and he played 32 games for Kelowna + got to play in the Memorial Cup. When he came back the following season, he was a much better player, he was almost a freaking PPG with Taylor Hall around New Years time.

 

[Cloned]

I really don't think it hurts players at all. We sent Leon back to the CHL and he came back the following season like twice the player.

There's also the World Junior tournament and Memorial Cup that hopefully he can experience and learn from.

He'll be roaring to go by next September and playing over 10% of an NHL regular season isn't a bad amount of exposure either.

Bouchard will learn more from Yawney than dominating a bunch of junior teams every night. It's a case where the player's natural skill and IQ are too good for juniors. Draisaitl wasn't ready physically (skating and balance were awful during his first stint in the NHL). Bouchard is. His learning has more to do with adjusting to NHL speed and defending NHL caliber forwards.

 

[Soundwave]

Bouchard will learn more from Yawney than dominating a bunch of junior teams every night. It's a case where the player's natural skill and IQ are too good for juniors. Draisaitl wasn't ready physically (skating and balance were awful during his first stint in the NHL). Bouchard is. His learning has more to do with adjusting to NHL speed and defending NHL caliber forwards.

I'm not really sure he's that ready right now either, I sense he's a bit nervous with the puck and needs time to work on his tracking/coverage in the defensive zone. He'll be fine, Yawney will still be there next summer (well, unless the season goes down the tubes, but in that case, you probably don't want a young kid around that atmosphere).

 

[Cloned]

I'm not really sure he's that ready right now either, I sense he's a bit nervous with the puck and needs time to work on his tracking/coverage in the defensive zone. He'll be fine, Yawney will still be there next summer (well, unless the season goes down the tubes, but in that case, you probably don't want a young kid around that atmosphere).

Those are mental issues, and generally can be improved with experience at the higher level of play (unless he's drastically overwhelmed, which I don't think he is). Physically he's ready though.

 

[Soundwave]

Those are mental issues, and generally can be improved with experience at the higher level of play (unless he's drastically overwhelmed, which I don't think he is). Physically he's ready though.

I'd rather just err on the side of caution. He's going to be a good player, he's not going to go to junior and slack off. Retaining a year of his ELC deal helps us in multiple ways, and Bear can probably do a lot of the same things he does on the 2nd unit PP right now.

If Benning pulls his head out of his ass he probably can be an OK No. 6 D-man if Todd would just freaking staple him to the bottom pairing and limit his minutes.

 

[Cloned]

I'd rather just err on the side of caution. He's going to be a good player, he's not going to go to junior and slack off. Retaining a year of his ELC deal helps us in multiple ways, and Bear can probably do a lot of the same things he does on the 2nd unit PP right now.

If Benning pulls his head out of his ass he probably can be an OK No. 6 D-man if Todd would just freaking staple him to the bottom pairing and limit his minutes.

Benning is done. He has the hockey equivalent of the yips. Can't defend, can't pass, looks like he's going to spazz out every time he touches the puck. That concussion really did a number on him, unfortunately, because he was quite good before that. It's not a coincidence how much more composed the team looks overall since he's been taken out of the lineup because they don't have a D-man sabotaging them every third shift. He's good for at least 1 or 2 goals against each game.

Bear vs. Bouchard is an interesting discussion and I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer there.

 

[Soundwave]

Benning is done. He has the hockey equivalent of the yips. Can't defend, can't pass, looks like he's going to spazz out every time he touches the puck. That concussion really did a number on him, unfortunately, because he was quite good before that. It's not a coincidence how much more composed the team looks overall since he's been taken out of the lineup because they don't have a D-man sabotaging them every third shift. He's good for at least 1 or 2 goals against each game.

Bear vs. Bouchard is an interesting discussion and I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer there.

Well good thing we just gave him a 2-year $1.9 per contract, lol. Which concussion was that even, seems to me like he's had a few.

 

[Cloned]

Well good thing we just gave him a 2-year $1.9 per contract, lol. Which concussion was that even, seems to me like he's had a few.

I think he had one late in his first year here.

 

[CupofOil]

Well, it's getting close to decision time and I'm thinking that they should send him down.

I just don't feel like he moves the needle enough to justify burning an ELC year and risking expansion draft complications, especially with there being no target date for the expansion draft. I don't feel like he helps the team win games right now, he's not losing games for them either, but I just can't justify taking the risk of playing him past the 9 games unless he was a big net positive out there and I don't see it with him yet. Mclellan sees it too as he's being really cautious with the bottom pairing and playing the hell out of his top pairing.

I'd send him to London, let him lead that team on a Memorial Cup run and get the WJC experience and he'll come back stronger next season (like Drai did in his 2nd season). No need to rush him now IMO. He still has a lot to learn.
Also, I don't understand how some can say that he has nothing to learn in junior. It sure didn't hurt Pietrangelo, Nurse, Eberle, Draisaitl.

 

[Bank Shot]

Again, imo, Bouchard to the minors would be a terrible move. He ain't learning jack **** down there to ready him for the NHL

Bouchard can learn as much as he wants at the OHL level. They have quality coaches in London and he could definitely improve there if he is willing to put in the effort.

 

[GMofOilers]

We will keep him.

He’s ready.

 

[Mr Positive]

I say he stays up, and if it goes sour we send him down before the 40 game mark. We did that with Drai and it worked out. We lose an ELC year, but I think the ELC advantage is vastly overrated. The quicker we're done with it, the better imo. Get the 2nd contract signed as early as you can, and that should keep the AAV down a bit. (edit: although admittedly we didn't get that with Drai, but only because of that great season and playoffs he had)

 

[Staghorn]

I think the answer lies in is Bear and or Benning better TODAY than Bouchard?? And with Bennings contract, he'll be playing. Logical decision is to send him back and give those 15 sheltered minutes to Benning or Bear... Bouchard can learn lots In a playoff run and Mem Cup and World Juniors... Lets him be a kid still with somewhat less pressure, instead of constant negative reviews of his sketchy play.

 

[LMFAO]

Why has Bear played only 2 AHL game ? Is he hurt ?

 

[guymez]

Interesting listening to Bob McKenzie's take on Bouchard....I agree with him completely....

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1...eed-to-send-bouchard-back-to-london-1.1198563

 

[Tobias Kahun]

We sent Leon down for 9 games. Everybody kew he was coning back quick

Boosh is an overeager who decimated the league who will be way more physically advanced. Totally different scenario

Draisaitl went to the WHL in his d+1 for 32 games, and a memorial cup run.

 

[guymez]

What a lot of people seem to keep forgetting with Bouchard is that he has already played 3 years of Junior hockey.

Among other very solid points Bob addressed that in his interview.

 

[herestohoping]

Just got my Bouchard Jersey ordered yesterday!

 

[LTIR]

If Bouchard goes back to London he will be tied with Boqvist in goals

 

[joestevens29]

Interesting listening to Bob McKenzie's take on Bouchard....I agree with him completely....

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1...eed-to-send-bouchard-back-to-london-1.1198563

I got the impression this wasn't just about Bouchard. Teams in general don't care that much about 9 games anymore. If the guy isn't struggling teams will keep the player longer. Unless they have too many ELC guys and need to stager them

 

[guymez]

I got the impression this wasn't just about Bouchard. Teams in general don't care that much about 9 games anymore. If the guy isn't struggling teams will keep the player longer. Unless they have too many ELC guys and need to stager them

Yeah...I think Bob said exactly that in the interview. Very good points.

As far as Bouchard is concerned he is a special player IMO. I think you have to allow him an opportunity to further adjust to the NHL game.