Player Discussion Evan Bouchard: One for the Money, Two for the Bouch

[Bryanbryoil]

Imo zero chance he is top 3 for Calder. Him not playing day 1 will make it hard for media to care. Media will just look at numbers and vote and I don't see him finishing top 3 in points

He would likely need to start playing on the top PP unit to have a shot at it. I personally feel that Bouch (or even Nurse for that matter) are better PP options than Barrie is.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

2 straight games with a TOI under 10 minutes. Not liking the way that his ice time is being managed right now.

 

[voxel]

2 straight games with a TOI under 10 minutes. Not liking the way that his ice time is being managed right now.

I don’t think Tippett trusts him yet defensively so in tight games he will sit. While Larsson and Russell had a great game tonight, they normally are giveaway machines (after winning a puck battle they just toss it blindly away) so Oilers just get hemmed in again.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I don’t think Tippett trusts him yet defensively so in tight games he will sit. While Larsson and Russell had a great game tonight, they normally are giveaway machines (after winning a puck battle they just toss it blindly away) so Oilers just get hemmed in again.

And I understand that mentality. However the game is played in 3 zones and he really benefits us when we have the puck.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

2 straight games with a TOI under 10 minutes. Not liking the way that his ice time is being managed right now.

He was managed fine in a tight game in a building the Oil have had trouble winning in. He and 4K didn't look great in the d-zone. Bouchard's o-zone game is solid and confidence but defensively it is very much a work in progress. And that is just fine. He's asserted himself into a regular spot on the blueline and needs to build his experience and own zone game to earn the coach's confidence and with that more ice-time (eventually). A 2-1 win game he was handled just fine.

 

[LTIR]

And I understand that mentality. However the game is played in 3 zones and he really benefits us when we have the puck.

Russell-Bouchard was a reliable pairing for Tipp. I dont think he trusts KK-Bouchard much.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Russell-Bouchard was a reliable pairing for Tipp. I dont think he trusts KK-Bouchard much.

KK has not been good lately IMO.

 

[LTIR]

KK has not been good lately IMO.

He jumped up a couple times tonight and got decent scoring chances. Looked decent on PK as well.
When Bear returns, Bouch might be the one getting scratched.

 

[Zaddy]

I don’t think Tippett trusts him yet defensively so in tight games he will sit. While Larsson and Russell had a great game tonight, they normally are giveaway machines (after winning a puck battle they just toss it blindly away) so Oilers just get hemmed in again.

Exactly, I'm not sure why anyone would trust those two any more than Bouchard. He can at least play himself out of tough situations. Russell and Lars just put it glass out at best. Bouch should get more playing time. Having him play less than 10 minutes is criminal IMO, considering what he brings to the table.

 

[Drivesaitl]

And I understand that mentality. However the game is played in 3 zones and he really benefits us when we have the puck.

The trouble is last night wasnt that type of game and it was pretty clear this was a night where McDrai didn't have legs and our topsix didn't have jam. So what was critical last night was to limit GA.

Has to be mentioned that all of Nurse, Barrie, Larsson have been playing fantastic hockey. No slight on Bouchard who may be the best of the bunch, but it takes some time and he'll put in the work. I might feel different about some of these things but with Seattle also prowling around I don't know how that impacts things and our usage of D this year. Aren't we playing Russel so he can get exposed? I don't know how these expansion drafts work.

 

[bobbythebrain]

His ice time is down cuz Tipp is spoon feeding every second of McDavid icetime to Barrie.
That will cause the 3rd pair minutes

Crazy since Barrie is not a guy you should be playing 28min a night. That line got caved last night soo many times. Tipp is playing russian roulette with Barrie that much, and he will eat that bullet come playoff time.

Bouchard may not be great defensively, but i am clueless how Tipp hasn't seen how quick he can turn a play up ice.
Why he isn't getting atleast some of Barries minutes w/ McDavid is terrible coaching, and poor development decision making

 

[McTonyBrar]

His ice time is down cuz Tipp is spoon feeding every second of McDavid icetime to Barrie.
That will cause the 3rd pair minutes

Crazy since Barrie is not a guy you should be playing 28min a night. That line got caved last night soo many times. Tipp is playing russian roulette with Barrie that much, and he will eat that bullet come playoff time.

Bouchard may not be great defensively, but i am clueless how Tipp hasn't seen how quick he can turn a play up ice.
Why he isn't getting atleast some of Barries minutes w/ McDavid is terrible coaching, and poor development decision making

Ummmm do you want to win the game? Or give Bouchard minutes? How Tippett played the defence last night worked and Koekkoek is atrocious at defence. Why on earth would he play that pairing over Nurse and Barrie? Our team and Tippett want us to win games and make the playoffs. Bouchard is getting settled in slowly like every other rookie Dman.

Do you want us to make the playoffs or no?

 

[bobbythebrain]

Ummmm do you want to win the game? Or give Bouchard minutes? How Tippett played the defence last night worked and Koekkoek is atrocious at defence. Why on earth would he play that pairing over Nurse and Barrie? Our team and Tippett want us to win games and make the playoffs. Bouchard is getting settled in slowly like every other rookie Dman.

Do you want us to make the playoffs or no?

Worked? McDavids line spent half the nite chasing the puck in their own zone.
Don't mistake luck with giving credit.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Worked? McDavids line spent half the nite chasing the puck in their own zone.
Don't mistake luck with giving credit.

Luck? Do you know what defensive hockey is? I’m sorry to break it to you but playoff hockey isn’t just run and gun, 5-0,6-5 wins.

We had some luck our way but we also played a good defensive game with good goaltending.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Luck? Do you know what defensive hockey is? I’m sorry to break it to you but playoff hockey isn’t just run and gun, 5-0,6-5 wins.

We had some luck our way but we also played a good defensive game with good goaltending.

Getting hemmed in your own zone is "good defensive " hockey?

Ya, i know exactly what playoff hockey needs to be like, and that wasn't it lol.
Last nite looked like Edm vs Chi last year, with our top 2 lines consistently in our own zone vs theirs

 

[3IR]

The best thing for Bouchard would be Bear and Lagesson coming back and playing well. Bouchard with Larsson seems like a great bottom pairing to ease him in, and you can give him some gravy starts in the offensive zone or on the PP.

or if we go with 7 dmen, we can keep him away from the most difficult matchups while allowing him to work on his game.

Nurse Barrie
Lagesson Bear
Bouchard Larsson
Russell

 

[alphahelix]

The best thing for Bouchard would be Bear and Lagesson coming back and playing well. Bouchard with Larsson seems like a great bottom pairing to ease him in, and you can give him some gravy starts in the offensive zone or on the PP.

or if we go with 7 dmen, we can keep him away from the most difficult matchups while allowing him to work on his game.

Nurse Barrie
Lagesson Bear
Bouchard Larsson
Russell

I get what youre trying to do with these pairings but I think when you factor in that Bear is returning from a long absence, Lagesson is a rookie, and Barrie is porous defensively- you wouldnt have a lot of trustworthy pairings for Tipp to put out against elites in critical moments. We saw Nurse-Larsson a few times last night actually and it wouldnt surprise me if we see more of it in critical PKs/defensive situations. This configuration might be something to revisit later on down the line but not loving it as an option for today.

 

[3IR]

I get what youre trying to do with these pairings but I think when you factor in that Bear is returning from a long absence, Lagesson is a rookie, and Barrie is porous defensively- you wouldnt have a lot of trustworthy pairings for Tipp to put out against elites in critical moments. We saw Nurse-Larsson a few times last night actually and it wouldnt surprise me if we see more of it in critical PKs/defensive situations. This configuration might be something to revisit later on down the line but not loving it as an option for today.

That’s why I like the 7D idea. Gives you the flexibility of putting Nurse and Larsson out with Russell able to slot in with Barrie or Bouchard as the stabilizer.

It’ll be interesting to see how it’s handled going forward, but I just don’t think Bouchard should spend time on the bench from here on out. He’s got warts, but he needs to be playing.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Getting hemmed in your own zone is "good defensive " hockey?

Ya, i know exactly what playoff hockey needs to be like, and that wasn't it lol.
Last nite looked like Edm vs Chi last year, with our top 2 lines consistently in our own zone vs theirs

Then I guess complain about it instead of taking positives out of it lol. I’m not going to complain about a win. A wins a win

 

[Lewy]

He’s thrown three pucks up the middle in the last three or four games that have been intercepted. He’s got to cut that out of his game. None have gone in for a goal against but if it keeps happening the puck will go in and he will be riding pine a la Kahun the other night.

 

[Tippetts Mustache]

He’s thrown three pucks up the middle in the last three or four games that have been intercepted. He’s got to cut that out of his game. None have gone in for a goal against but if it keeps happening the puck will go in and he will be riding pine a la Kahun the other night.

Yeah, I've noticed that too. That combined with iffy off the puck d-zone play could get him out of the lineup quickly.

 

[ujju2]

The best thing for Bouchard would be Bear and Lagesson coming back and playing well. Bouchard with Larsson seems like a great bottom pairing to ease him in, and you can give him some gravy starts in the offensive zone or on the PP.

or if we go with 7 dmen, we can keep him away from the most difficult matchups while allowing him to work on his game.

Nurse Barrie
Lagesson Bear
Bouchard Larsson
Russell

I think Larsson is better used on a shutdown pairing with Lagesson than sheltering Bouchard on the third pair. Put Bear with Bouchard and give them a large number of offensive zone starts. Give Lagesson-Larsson the heavy defensive minutes.

Nurse-Barrie
Lagesson-Larsson
Bouchard-Bear

 

[MuzzaFuzza]

His ice time is down cuz Tipp is spoon feeding every second of McDavid icetime to Barrie.
That will cause the 3rd pair minutes

Crazy since Barrie is not a guy you should be playing 28min a night. That line got caved last night soo many times. Tipp is playing russian roulette with Barrie that much, and he will eat that bullet come playoff time.

Bouchard may not be great defensively, but i am clueless how Tipp hasn't seen how quick he can turn a play up ice.
Why he isn't getting atleast some of Barries minutes w/ McDavid is terrible coaching, and poor development decision making

I agree, Bear can't come back soon enough. Its worrisome that he's had a setback almost two weeks after getting concussed though

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

Worked? McDavids line spent half the nite chasing the puck in their own zone.
Don't mistake luck with giving credit.

Yeah, Nuge and McDavid looked pretty brutal in the defensive zone and were bailed out by Larsson and Barrie multiple times due to lazy fly-bys

 

[Bank Shot]

Getting less than 10 minutes a night every once in awhile isn't going to hurt Bouchard.

If he's a big boy he will continue to play hard and earn his minutes and he'll work his way up the depth chart.