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

[Soundwave]

This doesn't happen during a playing season

During an OHL season you have time to work on those things. It's harder to do during an NHL season.

 

[Canada Drai]

My expectations are way too high for Bouchard rn. Maybe it's just the fact that we have a D that can make a pass on the regular.

 

[guymez]

My expectations are way too high for Bouchard rn. Maybe it's just the fact that we have a D that can make a pass on the regular.

I dont think you are wrong for having high expectations.

Bouchard is the real deal IMO.

 

[bobbythebrain]

During an OHL season you have time to work on those things. It's harder to do during an NHL season.

No you don't. You don't take extra time with skating coaches and strength coaches between games.

These improvements you speak of take months of practice and hours a day working on said techniques

The minors are still competitive enough players aren't skipping practice or taking extra hours of training

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

My expectations are way too high for Bouchard rn. Maybe it's just the fact that we have a D that can make a pass on the regular.

I watch him make those quick and simple outlet passes and I'm left thinking, he'll be the best defender in the future because he just won't spend any time in his own zone.

 

[guymez]

The sad truth is, that Bouchard already looks like he would help this team win more games if he were to stay up. However, if you're banking on a raw, 19 year old Dman for a decent season, then it only serves to reinforce how poorly this team has been stocked. Bouch deserves the right to become a better player by attending the WJCs and junior playoffs; he shouldn't be burdened with this organization's blunders

I dont think thats an indictment on the team as much as it is a statement about just how good Bouchard is.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I dont think thats an indictment on the team as much as it is a statement about just how good Bouchard is.

Very well said, I think if you view Bouchard as someone being rushed because the Oilers desperate for him, you're missing what the player is actually doing on the ice. Looking as poised and competent as he did against the a team likes the Preds isn't nothing for a now 19 year old.

 

[guymez]

Very well said, I think if you view Bouchard as someone being rushed because the Oilers desperate for him, you're missing what the player is actually doing on the ice. Looking as poised and competent as he did against the a team likes the Preds isn't nothing for a now 19 year old.

He is a special player for sure. That said I do think he needs to be sheltered as much as possible,

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

He is a special player for sure. That said I do think the needs to be sheltered as much as possible,

Absolutely, finding that balance between Shelter and Opportunity will be key to help him bring out all he can provide this team now and going forward.

If you had to ask me right now, I would say, based on his play so far, he's sticking around atleast until game 39.

 

[guymez]

Absolutely, finding that balance between Shelter and Opportunity will be key to help him bring out all he can provide this team now and going forward.

If you had to ask me right now, I would say, based on his play so far, he's sticking around atleast until game 39.

I agree.

 

[frag2]

I dont think you are wrong for having high expectations.

Bouchard is the real deal IMO.

Too bad our coach doesn't want PP1 quarterbacked by a Dman with real offensive instincts. It's just too easy.

 

[guymez]

Too bad our coach doesn't want PP1 quarterbacked by a Dman with real offensive instincts. It's just too easy.

Bouchard is getting PP time...there is no rush IMO.
I have no issue with what McLellan is doing. The PP looks good so far.

 

[hallhopkinseberle]

Too bad our coach doesn't want PP1 quarterbacked by a Dman with real offensive instincts. It's just too easy.

I think he also doesn't want to change the 5th best PP in the league either. I know people are complaining but it is getting the puck in the net. Midas Whale not change anything our problems right now is the Pk and 5 on 5. not the PP

 

[guymez]

I think he also doesn't want to change the 5th best PP in the league either. I know people are complaining but it is getting the puck in the net. Midas Whale not change anything our problems right now is the Pk and 5 on 5. not the PP

I agree to a point. The PK wasnt an issue at all until last night. Removing Kassian from the PK is an improvement all by itself IMO. Its not a systems issue at all.

Sitting Kassian and Brodziak would improve the 5x5 play as well.

 

[frag2]

Bouchard is getting PP time...there is no rush IMO.
I have no issue with what McLellan is doing. The PP looks good so far.

I just think when you are down a goal, which we are quite frequently, and you are up a man, why not? Klef struggles mightily imo when it comes to puck decisions on the PP. It's like averse to one timing

 

[guymez]

I just think when you are down a goal, which we are quite frequently, and you are up a man, why not? Klef struggles mightily imo when it comes to puck decisions on the PP. It's like averse to one timing

For me the reasons they go down a goal has to do with D zone breakdowns by the same players...for the most part Benning, Kassian, Broziak, and Garrison.
If TMac can address that with the appropriate roster changes then that will help solve a lot of issues.

I think Gravel is a decent replacement for Garrison.
Rattie and Caggiula need to get healthy ASAP and JJ needs to play in place of Brodziak.
JJ hasnt been good either but at least he can skate.

 

[Bank Shot]

It was great to see Bouchard score a goal tonight. With that said i think they should give him an atta boy and send him on his way back to juniors.

The Caps goal was on him as well as 3-4 more primo chances by the Caps and Bouchard barely played.

He only played 1 minute at even strength in the third.

Larsson and Klefbom played 9 minutes each. Obviously they won't be able to keep that up as the season progresses.

I think Bouchard has a great toolkit and he has some real potential. Unfortunately I think the game is just coming at him too fast right now. The NHL game only gets faster as the season goes on. If Bouchard can't be counted on to take a regular shift now, its likely he'll have bigger troubles later on.

Let him take what he's learned back to junior where he can work on the things the Oilers need him to improve upon.

 

[Del Preston]

Maybe they send him down before game #40 like what happened with Draisaitl and Puljujarvi.

 

[guymez]

Maybe they send him down before game #40 like what happened with Draisaitl and Puljujarvi.

It is a tough call because he will learn nothing in London.

 

[Bank Shot]

Maybe they send him down before game #40 like what happened with Draisaitl and Puljujarvi.

Yuck. Why burn a year of his contract if he isn't helping the team win?

Not to mention, if he gets credit for a year of pro hockey this season it means he may need to be protected in the Seattle expansion.

 

[Del Preston]

Yuck. Why burn a year of his contract if he isn't helping the team win?

Not to mention, if he gets credit for a year of pro hockey this season it means he may need to be protected in the Seattle expansion.

It would waste a year on his ELC but they'd keep the seven years until UFA. But the only reason to do it is if he starts struggling.

I don't think they can send him down right now because he's better than the three alternatives on the roster and I believe Bear is currently injured.

 

[Bank Shot]

It would waste a year on his ELC but they'd keep the seven years until UFA. But the only reason to do it is if he starts struggling.

I don't think they can send him down right now because he's better than the three alternatives on the roster and I believe Bear is currently injured.

He has been struggling.

Watch that play on the Capitals goal. He was supposed to switch off and cover Dowd when Dowd went behind the net. Instead Bouchard faded to the front of the net but didn't cover anyone.

In the first period he made a poor pinch at the blueline which led to a three on one.

He coughed up the puck on the PP leading to a breakaway.

He made a really weird attempted pinch at his own blueline on a two on two that almost led to a Caps goal.

That's just off the top of my head, and this was in only 11 minutes of icetime.

Note that Bouchard faced absolutely zero time against the Ovechkin-Kuznetsov line. It's really tough to manage the bench if you have a player that can't be trusted to survive against another teams first line even for a few minutes.

The Oilers coaches are going out of their way to shelter Bouchard but he's still making too many mistakes.

WSH at EDM

WSH at EDM

It's forcing Klefbom-Larsson to play too many minutes.

 

[Del Preston]

He has been struggling.

Watch that play on the Capitals goal. He was supposed to switch off and cover Dowd when Dowd went behind the net. Instead Bouchard faded to the front of the net but didn't cover anyone.

In the first period he made a poor pinch at the blueline which led to a three on one.

He coughed up the puck on the PP leading to a breakaway.

He made a really weird attempted pinch at his own blueline on a two on two that almost led to a Caps goal.

That's just off the top of my head, and this was in only 11 minutes of icetime.

Note that Bouchard faced absolutely zero time against the Ovechkin-Kuznetsov line. It's really tough to manage the bench if you have a player that can't be trusted to survive against another teams first line even for a few minutes.

The Oilers coaches are going out of their way to shelter Bouchard but he's still making too many mistakes.

WSH at EDM

WSH at EDM

It's forcing Klefbom-Larsson to play too many minutes.

He made some typical rookie mistakes. He has still been better than Benning and Garrison.

 

[Bank Shot]

He made some typical rookie mistakes. He has still been better than Benning and Garrison.

I agree Garrison is done. Benning struggled when they tried him at top four. He's proven to be a useful third pairing guy.

I think a Gravel-Benning pairing is going to be a little more reliable than with Bouchard. Failing that, Chiarelli will need to find someone to plug the hole on the third pairing.

Bouchard is showing potential, but he's not forcing the issue IMO.

 

[bobbythebrain]

He has been struggling.

Watch that play on the Capitals goal. He was supposed to switch off and cover Dowd when Dowd went behind the net. Instead Bouchard faded to the front of the net but didn't cover anyone.

In the first period he made a poor pinch at the blueline which led to a three on one.

He coughed up the puck on the PP leading to a breakaway.

He made a really weird attempted pinch at his own blueline on a two on two that almost led to a Caps goal.

That's just off the top of my head, and this was in only 11 minutes of icetime.

Note that Bouchard faced absolutely zero time against the Ovechkin-Kuznetsov line. It's really tough to manage the bench if you have a player that can't be trusted to survive against another teams first line even for a few minutes.

The Oilers coaches are going out of their way to shelter Bouchard but he's still making too many mistakes.

WSH at EDM

WSH at EDM

It's forcing Klefbom-Larsson to play too many minutes.

He broke up 2 plays in the neutral zone. He blocked a shot and 2x kicked the puck outta trouble to a teramate. he won 2 board battles

This game was by far his worst for mistakes, bound to happen, but he still is better than what we got

Larsson was traded for Taylor Hall. He was a high draft pick. he played tons in Jersey. He is a projected top line dman. Playing lots of minutes should be a gameplan for the Oil