Evan Bouchard heating up.

[Roksta]

I wonder if user Oleksiak still thinks he's a useless pylon??

Probably

 

[Rafafouille]

Unironically could win the Conn Smythe if the oilers go all the way. Kid sucks.

 

[syz]

That said I’m genuinely very excited to see the contract. I know the Ceci-Nurse pair has been trashed but presumably most of that is Ceci yes? Any interpretations of Nurse himself this post season? I’m just curious how that plays out

Mm, Nurse hasn't been good enough either. Ceci compounds things for sure--neither of them are good at moving the puck, but Ceci is considerably worse at it, especially under pressure. Nurse's play would see a bump with a legit top 4 partner who could make an outlet pass, even if it still probably wouldn't make him worth his price tag.

 

[Fantomas]

Where are the Bouchard haters now?

 

[604]

Where are the Bouchard haters now?

Probably giving him 25 ft worth of space, just like the Canucks forwards.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Probably giving him 25 ft worth of space, just like the Canucks forwards.

Bieksa pointed out why it was a valuable strategy in the LA series.

Basically you're given the option of opening up all kinds of space for McDavid / Draisaitl down low
or
You clog it up near the net, and just let the point shots come a bit uncontested.



Covering the point would basically mean McDavid puts up 15 points this series.

 

[Steven Toast]

Basically you're given the option of opening up all kinds of space for McDavid / Draisaitl down low
or
You clog it up near the net, and just let the point shots come a bit uncontested.

Do you mean during the powerplay? If so that strategy was not working for either the Nucks or the Kings. If the PK turtles and clogs up near the net it gives the Oilers powerplay time to set up and cycle, and then they can score at a near 50% rate. The Canucks had success with the PK in games 5 and 6 by playing very aggressively and not allowing the Oilers time to set up. I would expect that the Stars will be deploying a very aggressive PK as well.

 

[Bizzare]

Is this offer still standing?

Of course! You’d have to pay up front though, I’d give some odds as well.

 

[GOilers88]

I wonder if user Oleksiak still thinks he's a useless pylon??

Probably

Not just a pylon, but barely an ECHL quality pylon.

Need to watch more ECHL games I think. They must be exciting.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

He is exactly what they needed for years on the back end

 

[Doubty]

Guys on here will bash him despite defending other dudes like Karlsson or Barrie for years.

First time seeing an offensive dman who’s weak in his own end guys? Lol… 10 point streak and counting. Dude is electric in the O zone

[mod] Bouchard is only getting a lot of points because of McDrai. While also being so bad at defending.

he randomly became the best point shot in the NHL, reminds me of Souray's with the power and accuracy

he's a 9.5/10 offensively and 3.5/10 defensively.. so 13/20 rating??

Just getting heavily carried by McDrai and Hyman.

 

[Zbynek]

Kid's a stud. But it does make you remember how much that Nurse contract stings.

Bouchard is peaking right before that RFA contract. Wonder what that cap hit looks like.

 

[Regal]

Kid's a stud. But it does make you remember how much that Nurse contract stings.

Bouchard is peaking right before that RFA contract. Wonder what that cap hit looks like.

Will be interesting to see if he’d sign in the offseason for them to try to get a cheaper deal, because if he puts up another 80+ point season it’s going to be hard to get him much under 10 if at all, and then they also have to re-sign Drai.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

This thread - and the other Bouchard thread - has shown me people would rather expose their entire ass, butthole and all, than admit they were wrong about a player

 

[Leafshater67]

[mod] Bouchard is only getting a lot of points because of McDrai. While also being so bad at defending.


Just getting heavily carried by McDrai and Hyman.

You’re not watching the games and it shows. He’s a major play driver, QB’s the best power play and is a total game breaker. He’s also grown leaps and bounds defensively. Beyond the numbers, he looks great.

 

[Magic 8 Ball]

I can smell a decently big contract and then a fall off a cliff.

 

[StreetHawk]

I can smell a decently big contract and then a fall off a cliff.

That's the thing. Similar to Brock Purdy in the NFL (though major difference in draft pedigree). If you are on the hype the guy up now, then you should be more than accepting of a big contract when the contract time is due up in a year. In the NFL, talking mid $40's now for a higher end starter and in the NHL, coming off a bridge, looking at over Nurse's $9.25 mill.

 

[HTFN]

This thread - and the other Bouchard thread - has shown me people would rather expose their entire ass, butthole and all, than admit they were wrong about a player

Really? Because it's mostly reminding me of all the premature victory laps fans like to take... anybody remember when John Marino was going to be one of the best D of the decade, potential Norris guy? Do it a few years and people will come around, we've seen too many "future Norris forever" defensemen recently to blindly nod and accept another new savior.

It's not like he's bad or anything but we do this "haha, it's going to be like this forever, suck it league fans" thing like every year with some new guy, less than half of them stick, and then we just don't talk about it again.

When you're really that good it's undeniable, it's fully allowed for people to want to see it over a longer stretch of time.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Really? Because it's mostly reminding me of all the premature victory laps fans like to take... anybody remember when John Marino was going to be one of the best D of the decade, potential Norris guy? Do it a few years and people will come around, we've seen too many "future Norris forever" defensemen recently to blindly nod and accept another new savior.

It's not like he's bad or anything but we do this "haha, it's going to be like this forever, suck it league fans" thing like every year with some new guy, less than half of them stick, and then we just don't talk about it again.

When you're really that good it's undeniable, it's fully allowed for people to want to see it over a longer stretch of time.

You aren't if you're just parroting stupid opinions from six year old scouting reports and haven't seen the evolution in his game, or don't care to see it.

Last 100 regular season games:

100 GP, 23-78-101, +46

Last 2 playoff runs:

26 GP, 9-29-38, +8

His underlying numbers are phenomenal as well. With Ekholm, without Ekholm, with McDavid and Draisaitl, without McDavid and Draisaitl, it doesn't matter.

The guy has been on an absolute tear for over a year and a half now. The sample size is there. If you want to pretend it's not, that's fine, but if you do, I have some questions.

 

[Fist of Fury]

I think Paul Coffey had huge impact on him, he has really improved.

 

[theMajor]

is he playing his way out of the Oilers being able to afford him next year?

 

[604]

is he playing his way out of the Oilers being able to afford him next year?

He should be asking for more than Nurse.

 

[Raistlin]

He should be asking for more than Nurse.

is there any universe where Bouchard sees how Nurse play every night and say, "Yeah, I think I derserve less than what he is getting"?

 

[theMajor]

He should be asking for more than Nurse.

he will without a doubt get more than Nurse, but can Edmonton afford it? Drai is UFA next summer on top of Bouche being an RFA