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

[CycloneSweep]

Bouch has the potential to be a legit deadline addition. No one on our club shoots the puck like him and if he isn't the best breakout and stretch passer on our blueline he is right up there. It's a f***ing travesty that he isn't getting a regular shift.

It is...at the same time. Isn't it wild that we actually have this problem on the right side? We went from having horrible right side d to having too many that can play. I mean I think Bear could maybe sit but still. Years ago Bouchard would be playing top pairing by necessity

 

[Tyrolean]

Don't see the Oilers wining the 1st round against any team if they don't use their best lineup.

 

[joestevens29]

I really don't get why he wasn't sent to the AHL for at least this month. We had this 5 day break that is now 6 days and we have a 4 day break coming up, although that could change.

The main reason we hear he isn't in is that he can't PK and there is a fear of playing him depending who the other defenders are. I'm sure there is also more issues from Tippett's standpoint, but lets leave those out.

So what would be better for the kid. Sitting hoping Barrie gets hurt and then he gets his shot or him being on Bakersfield #1 PK?

Now you add the addition of Kulikov and you really are pushing him down yet another peg. Even though Kulikov isn't the same guy I think we all know that Nurse, Barrie, Kulikov, Larsson and Russell are going to be everyday NHLers on this club. And Bear is pretty much a lock as well unless he has a bad string of games, but I doubt he's out for more than a game or two. And even then who is getting in for Bear? Probably Jones and Lagesson.

I get the benefit of being around NHLers. I get that we probably aren't hurting the game he currently has. However, we aren't helping him develop the game he doesn't have. I could maybe understand if he was getting his NHL wage on the taxi squad, but my understanding is two-way guys are getting minor league salary.

 

[bucks_oil]

I really don't get why he wasn't sent to the AHL for at least this month. We had this 5 day break that is now 6 days and we have a 4 day break coming up, although that could change.

The main reason we hear he isn't in is that he can't PK and there is a fear of playing him depending who the other defenders are. I'm sure there is also more issues from Tippett's standpoint, but lets leave those out.

So what would be better for the kid. Sitting hoping Barrie gets hurt and then he gets his shot or him being on Bakersfield #1 PK?

Now you add the addition of Kulikov and you really are pushing him down yet another peg. Even though Kulikov isn't the same guy I think we all know that Nurse, Barrie, Kulikov, Larsson and Russell are going to be everyday NHLers on this club. And Bear is pretty much a lock as well unless he has a bad string of games, but I doubt he's out for more than a game or two. And even then who is getting in for Bear? Probably Jones and Lagesson.

I get the benefit of being around NHLers. I get that we probably aren't hurting the game he currently has. However, we aren't helping him develop the game he doesn't have. I could maybe understand if he was getting his NHL wage on the taxi squad, but my understanding is two-way guys are getting minor league salary.

I dunno... Holland has been pretty consistent in playing guys on their normal side this year (in part because he can). So on the basis that Bouchard got taken out of the lineup in favor of Bear, I don't see why he wouldn't slot in instead of Bear when the time comes. To a degree they bring some of the same attributes in terms of calm-under-pressure puck movement.

I don't think it would hurt Bear to spend a night looking down from above. And Bouch was on quite a short leash and deserves (we assume of course he's doing well in practice) to get back in there at some point.

 

[Aceboogie]

Truly horrible development for Bouchard. People can disagree on Jones usage, or usage of other players. But to leave Bouchard to rot in the pressbox is asine. Especially considering he was actually pretty good when he was playing.

I have no clue why Tippett thinks this is good, or why Holland refuses to step in and do something.

But I guess this is pair for the course with the Tippett/Holland tandem. Have 3 stellar prospects leading AHL in scoring? keep em down there. Have a top D prospect? Press box him

 

[barry halls]

Holland recently mentioned the fact that playoffs are not clinched yet, and he’s right, anything can happen still. The Oilers rationale for not playing Bouch and other prospects is probably that they want to be sure they lock up a playoff spot and can’t afford to risk letting youngsters make big mistakes at a crucial point in the season. It’s old-school thinking, and doesn’t make sense when you see the mistakes some of the veterans make, but it’s the only explanation I can come up with.

 

[ImmuneEH]

It appears to me they're keeping Bouchard around as insurance for when someone on the right side gets injured. If you send him down, an injury occurs, then you'll have to quarantine him after calling him up. (Jones and Russell can play on their off-side though...). We've had back-to-backs, a great opportunity to throw Bouchard in, and they haven't done that. I feel bad for the kid. Not a good message you're sending to the kid. Holland doesn't seem to know what's going either.

 

[McTonyBrar]

It appears to me they're keeping Bouchard around as insurance for when someone on the right side gets injured. If you send him down, an injury occurs, then you'll have to quarantine him after calling him up. (Jones and Russell can play on their off-side though...). We've had back-to-backs, a great opportunity to throw Bouchard in, and they haven't done that. I feel bad for the kid. Not a good message you're sending to the kid. Holland doesn't seem to know what's going either.

Holland doesn't pick who plays in the lineup. Tippett does

 

[ImmuneEH]

Holland doesn't pick who plays in the lineup. Tippett does

My point is that Holland is the one who calls player's up and sends them down, but has no say over the line-up. He doesn't seem to know why exactly Bouch isn't playing from the vibe I got in his press conferences.

 

[McTonyBrar]

My point is that Holland is the one who calls player's up and sends them down, but has no say over the line-up. He doesn't seem to know why exactly Bouch isn't playing from the vibe I got in his press conferences.

Then this is Tippetts choice to not play him. A very stupid choice

 

[Senor Catface]

Don't see the Oilers wining the 1st round against any team if they don't use their best lineup.

@Behind Enemy Lines

Feel free to correct his spelling/grammar.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Not a bad game for someone that has missed 20+ games in a row. I wonder if Larsson gets a seat on Thursday to get a well deserved rest and it allows Bouchard and Bear to play in the same game?

 

[badi]

Not having this kid in the line up at this point is just ridiculous

 

[Oilslick941611]

Oilers were the better team last night.

And Clearly. Vancouver didn't do much and their goal was a lucky bounce that went in off another lucky bounce and quite possibly had another lucky bounce (3 total) and was helped by Nurse gliding into Smith.

 

[LTIR]

Not a bad game for someone that has missed 20+ games in a row. I wonder if Larsson gets a seat on Thursday to get a well deserved rest and it allows Bouchard and Bear to play in the same game?

Played 20+ mins after missing 20+ games.
Some jitters in D zone but no damage done.
Made some sweet passes and scored a goal.
Couldn't have been a better return to play. He should be playing all games rest of the way.

 

[joestevens29]

Never thought I'd see him have a game with more PK time than Larsson.

He literally came in and just made Tippett's job that much harder.

Especially if he can continue with some of those stretch passes. It's nice to have d-men that can carry the puck, but having a nice stretch pass will even make this team quicker than they already are.

 

[Forgot About Drai]

I think 1-2 more strong games before the season ends, he might change tipps mind on whos the first out of the PB in the playoffs

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

McDavid is sitting at 1.82 p/gp, amazing.

 

[Mickelsnitz]

Never thought I'd see him have a game with more PK time than Larsson.

He literally came in and just made Tippett's job that much harder.

Especially if he can continue with some of those stretch passes. It's nice to have d-men that can carry the puck, but having a nice stretch pass will even make this team quicker than they already are.

This is exactly why he needs to play the right side. Stretch pass is off the backhand or takes a little longer when playing the off side in my opinion.

 

[Barrsy]

Not having this kid in the line up at this point is just ridiculous

Ahh, no.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I think 1-2 more strong games before the season ends, he might change tipps mind on whos the first out of the PB in the playoffs

Why don't we try Bear on the left and Bouchard on the right with him?

Bear Bouchard

Give it a shot before seasons end

 

[Joey Moss]

We need to figure out a way to have one of these righties playing LD. Bear seems like the obvious one to try. Could make Holland’s job easier this off-season.

 

[LTIR]

Never thought I'd see him have a game with more PK time than Larsson.

He literally came in and just made Tippett's job that much harder.

Especially if he can continue with some of those stretch passes. It's nice to have d-men that can carry the puck, but having a nice stretch pass will even make this team quicker than they already are.

The fact that Larsson took 2 of the 3 Oilers penalties and Barrie being the only other RD PK option played a big part in Bouch getting more PK mins than normal.

 

[Dirt McGintty]

Yamamoto came in last year and quickly established himself as a top-6 player. Same with Puljujarvi this season who's been a mainstay there after starting the season in a more sheltered role.
Bear came in last training camp, got an opportunity and ran with it, ending the season as one of our better defensemen. Not really sure where this weird Tippet narrative is coming from?

I was actually just about to write up this exact response. Tippet not playing rookies is flat out a bad take. I do wish Bouchard was drawing into more games, especially when the team has looked gassed at times with the compressed schedule. Unfortunately though, the fact of the matter is the right side defense is pretty deep and Bouchard will just have to make the most of the opportunities he is given. But Tippet will play rookies up and down the lineup, putting them in situations they can succeed. Puljujarvi on the top line. Yamamoto on the second line. Bear was a top line defender last year and has moved around the lineup this year. Since his callup, McCleod has been in over veteran Haas. If the narrative is Tippet won't play young players, where is the pattern? There isn't one and its a bad take.

 

[Smartguy]

Not having this kid in the line up at this point is just ridiculous

This is my thoughts as well, he’s a stud defender in the making and they just won’t play him in NHL games. I know they want to win but they also need to let Bouchard grow, playing practice for 2 months doesn’t help his development for getting used to the pace. Holland has said multiple times, he’s above an AHL player, he needs NHL time. It’s actually nuts they play Bear and use the same excuse, “that he needs time to fight through it”, when he was struggling this year, but Bouchard, with a much higher ceiling, then he doesn’t play amazing while playing on his left side, which they forced him to do, and he sits for 2 months.

Because it’s Tippet though I will be shocked to see him not run

Nurse-Barrie
Kulikov-Larsson
Jones/Russell-Bear

in the playoffs.

I think Tippet giving Bouchard a minute with the top PP last night, and him scoring a PPG goal, is essentially them realizing that he’s likely Barrie’s successor next season