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

[McDNicks17]

He's not great defensively and plays a weird passive system in London.

He was always going to need some pro coaching in that regard.

 

[dustrock]

I also felt he was the best player for Canada in the first game he played.

He's not a borderline cut for the Canadian junior team. He's going to be trying not to get hurt and in fact Hunter has rested most of his sure things today to take a look at the maybes.

 

[MoneyGuy]

So he sucks now?

Today. Tomorrow, who knows? It’s like the stock market.

 

[oobga]

So he sucks now?

Yet again, the OIlers ruin a player with poor development

 

[TheRebuild]

Yet again, the OIlers ruin a player with poor development

Yep, on the basis of one game in August, we can conclude that he’s a bust. Time to cut our losses and move on.

 

[Bangers]

My question is if it's better to send him down if he struggles or keep him up as the 7th defenceman.

In junior, he'll be playing against kids, so he might not improve that much defensively and might develop some lazy habits.

If he stays up, he might not play often, but he'll be practicing against pros, working with a pro-level nutritionist and trainers, and learning from a D coach with a solid track record of developing D men. Plus, he will get play time here and there.

 

[Mr Positive]

My question is if it's better to send him down if he struggles or keep him up as the 7th defenceman.

In junior, he'll be playing against kids, so he might not improve that much defensively and might develop some lazy habits.

If he stays up, he might not play often, but he'll be practicing against pros, working with a pro-level nutritionist and trainers, and learning from a D coach with a solid track record of developing D men. Plus, he will get play time here and there.

it's better to send him down even if he does well. Dmen take longer to develop than other players, and Bouchard was taken 10th overall, and even forwards at that range don't stick right after they are drafted. I know we as fans want our offensive Dman so bad, but Bouchard is not the answer right now.

 

[VainGretzky]

That should pump the breaks on people pencilling him on the roster for opening night though. Kid's defensive game is not ready, he needs to work on it even if it is just in junior + World Juniors. Which is fine. Most players are not ready to be thrown into the NHL at age 18/19, the Oilers need to stop doing that to every other 1st round pick.

You're the greatest one game summer scout I have ever seen

 

[Throttlehead]

it's better to send him down even if he does well. Dmen take longer to develop than other players, and Bouchard was taken 10th overall, and even forwards at that range don't stick right after they are drafted. I know we as fans want our offensive Dman so bad, but Bouchard is not the answer right now.

When a player is ready, you keep him up, when a player is not ready, you send him back. It has nothing to do with what position he plays or where he was picked in the draft.

I'm not sure where you are getting your information to judge him right now.

 

[Mr Positive]

When a player is ready, you keep him up, when a player is not ready, you send him back. It has nothing to do with what position he plays or where he was picked in the draft.

I'm not sure where you are getting your information to judge him right now.

I'm just looking at the percentages. Yes, Bouchard could be great in camp, pre-season and in his cup of tea with the Oilers in the regular season, and he could stay with the team. I'm just saying it's not expected to happen, and not in the plan. We do not want to rush a prospect this important, and so if there's doubt about him he will get sent down in a hurry. So far, I've seen enough video from fans pointing out his defensive problems in the CHL for me to say he isn't making the NHL next season. Btw, that is more than okay and not a bad sign

How often does a 10th overall drafted Dman make the NHL right away?

 

[CycloneSweep]

I'm just looking at the percentages. Yes, Bouchard could be great in camp, pre-season and in his cup of tea with the Oilers in the regular season, and he could stay with the team. I'm just saying it's not expected to happen, and not in the plan. We do not want to rush a prospect this important, and so if there's doubt about him he will get sent down in a hurry. So far, I've seen enough video from fans pointing out his defensive problems in the CHL for me to say he isn't making the NHL next season. Btw, that is more than okay and not a bad sign

How often does a 10th overall drafted Dman make the NHL right away?

It's rare that a defender of Bouchard caliber is even selected at #10

 

[Mr Positive]

It's rare that a defender of Bouchard caliber is even selected at #10

you could be right, and maybe he could be like Fowler (who also fell too much in his draft) and make it right away, but Fowler was a better prospect. I'd even say Hamilton was a better prospect (who also fell), and he stayed out of the NHL for two years. That could be Bouchard's future too. The list of Dmen who were as good or better than Bouchard at the time, but stayed down at least 1 year is staggeringly long. Lindholm, Provorov, Werenski, Trouba in recent years, but this is the overwhelming norm over time.

And btw, most of the time, the Dmen that do make it year one usually aren't very good. It is very common for them to be exceedingly sheltered, and to still have struggling plus minus. Even high end prospects like Seth Jones and Fowler went through this.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Stauffer’s been pumping the Europe train for awhile now. Might be the best thing for everyone.

Make no mistake though he is an elite prospect.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I'm just looking at the percentages. Yes, Bouchard could be great in camp, pre-season and in his cup of tea with the Oilers in the regular season, and he could stay with the team. I'm just saying it's not expected to happen, and not in the plan. We do not want to rush a prospect this important, and so if there's doubt about him he will get sent down in a hurry. So far, I've seen enough video from fans pointing out his defensive problems in the CHL for me to say he isn't making the NHL next season. Btw, that is more than okay and not a bad sign

How often does a 10th overall drafted Dman make the NHL right away?

When the #10 pick is the best player in his draft... it puts the odds much further in his favour.

 

[CupofOil]

Worst player on the ice by far?

I think you are just looking for reasons to dislike him.

In a game where a lot of players simply didn't do much, he stood out in a bad way. Just my assessment of this game, not what he will be in the NHL.

I think the Oilers made a mistake passing on Dobson for Bouchard (said it on draft day) but I'm perfectly happy that the Oilers got him at 10 so I don't dislike him at all. I'm just saying that these defensive breakdowns of his aren't isolated to just this one summer showcase game, it's something that he really needs to work on if he wants to succeed at the NHL level as anything more than a PP specialist.

This is where bringing in a coach like Yawney could pay dividends and I sure as hell hope they don't rush him into the NHL simply because they have a need for an offensive defenseman.
There's nothing wrong with taking the cautious approach and sending him back to junior for a year. Of course he'll have a preseason to earn his spot but if his defensive game is this raw in preseason, sending him back to London is the smart approach because the NHL is an unforgiving league for Dmen who don't skate and defend well. Not that he's a bad skater especially with the puck but it needs some work, especially his edge work.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

I'm just looking at the percentages. Yes, Bouchard could be great in camp, pre-season and in his cup of tea with the Oilers in the regular season, and he could stay with the team. I'm just saying it's not expected to happen, and not in the plan. We do not want to rush a prospect this important, and so if there's doubt about him he will get sent down in a hurry. So far, I've seen enough video from fans pointing out his defensive problems in the CHL for me to say he isn't making the NHL next season. Btw, that is more than okay and not a bad sign

How often does a 10th overall drafted Dman make the NHL right away?

Chychrun just a couple years ago. Drafted higher than 10.

And I really don't care what past results yield. Bouchard wasn't in those drafts.

 

[Mr Positive]

Chychrun just a couple years ago. Drafted higher than 10.

And I really don't care what past results yield. Bouchard wasn't in those drafts.

I don't think it really matters what draft Bouchard is compared to. I'm pointing out what we should be expecting, and more importantly what management should be expecting. Blue chip D prospects usually spend some time away from the NHL after being drafted, and if they don't they require heavy sheltering, which certainly applies to Chychrun.

In fact, the general trend is that teams that shelter their newly drafted Dmen don't make the playoffs. I think Fowler may be the exception there (and Ekblad, but he's definitely not comparable to Bouchard), but he was definitely a liability for the Ducks as a rookie, and imo it was done for developmental reasons, as those teams felt that time with NHLers would be best for them, and the team picked up the slack.

And btw, I'll say again that Bouchard is his own man and doesn't have to follow these trends. I'm just saying that if this was supposed to be our solution for offense from the D this season then that was not a responsible decision.

 

[snipes]

Stauffer’s been pumping the Europe train for awhile now. Might be the best thing for everyone.

Make no mistake though he is an elite prospect.

Europe actually wouldn't be a bad option at all.

Bouchard is absolutely an elite prospect but he needs significant work before he's ready to be an NHL Dman (like 99% of D prospects following their draft).

I have full confidence Bouchard can be developed properly and I believe in his skill set but the kid needs time.

 

[Gordian Knot]

FEL teams have good defensive systems and games are very often lost/won by special teams. If Oilers think it would be option for him, good FEL team with lack of RDs would be ideal place for Bouchard to play against men. He could get easily 15-21 minutes per night of which 2-5 on PP. Training facilities, coaching and top end competition beats AHL at least on higher class teams. If positioning and footwork are seeing as problems, then on bigger ice those can be worked with. I am worried that one season more in OHL doesn’t bring him much closer NHL than he is now.

 

[Bank Shot]

FEL teams have good defensive systems and games are very often lost/won by special teams. If Oilers think it would be option for him, good FEL team with lack of RDs would be ideal place for Bouchard to play against men. He could get easily 15-21 minutes per night of which 2-5 on PP. Training facilities, coaching and top end competition beats AHL at least on higher class teams. If positioning and footwork are seeing as problems, then on bigger ice those can be worked with. I am worried that one season more in OHL doesn’t bring him much closer NHL than he is now.

I don't think it matters so much where Bouchard plays, it's whether he is willing to put in the work to get stronger in the weak areas of his game.

If he is willing and committed to improving his weaknesses, they will improve just fine in the OHL.

 

[Bank Shot]

...

 

[Bank Shot]

...

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I'd be funny to see Boqvist come over to London, only for Bouchard to end up in Europe. Hell, maximize the irony level and send him to Gothenburg to play with Frölunda.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Okay, who didn't pay the bills for the server upkeep?

 

[MoneyGuy]

Okay, who didn't pay the bills for the server upkeep?

It’s Russians meddling.

 

[Sempiternal]

Should've picked Dobson and Barzal.