Player Discussion Evan Bouchard: Scoring like mad

[ImmuneEH]

Benning and Russell would be the correct answers. Frees up ~4 mil, as their replacements will/should cost ~2mil.

What I'm hope to see next seasoning

Nurse-Bear
Klefbom-Bouchard
Lagesson-Larsson
Jones

Re-sign Persson too if you want to be 8 deep, and have a swing option so you can send Bouchard down if he needs more time. (I would)

I just hope that Holland proceeds with caution, because he needs to prepare for the expansion draft. One of Jones, Lagesson, Persson, or Benning need to be given a 2 year extension, and that player MUST meet the # of games played required. Otherwise we'll be forced to expose Bear.

"One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons." - source

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I just hope that Holland proceeds with caution, because he needs to prepare for the expansion draft. One of Jones, Lagesson, Persson, or Benning need to be given a 2 year extension, and that player MUST meet the # of games played required. Otherwise we'll be forced to expose Bear.

"One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons." - source

Good timing and point, I cover that in my edit

If I was a betting man, it'll be one of the young defencemen that will get snagged by Seattle.

• Nurse and Klefbom are locks to be protected.
• Larsson is UFA, and could be left unprotected and then re-signed afterward if you want to keep him. See what SJ did last at the last expansion draft.
• Bouchard, Samorukov, Broberg, and Berglund are exempt. (Plus Kemp and Kesselring in Collage)
• Leaves you with one (or two) spot(s) to protect Bear, Jones, and Lagesson (or possibly Larsson if he's re-signed eariler; or Persson if he works his way into the conversation or if the Oil bring in someone else over the next 18 months)

 

[Fourier]

I just hope that Holland proceeds with caution, because he needs to prepare for the expansion draft. One of Jones, Lagesson, Persson, or Benning need to be given a 2 year extension, and that player MUST meet the # of games played required. Otherwise we'll be forced to expose Bear.

"One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons." - source

This is a very good point. But you can always trade for such a player. The guy could be a #7. That said probably two or three of this group, Jones, Lagesson, Persson, or Benning will make the requirement by the end of next year.

 

[ImmuneEH]

Good timing and point, I cover that in my edit

My protected list: McDavid, Draisaitl, Nuge, Kassian, Yamamoto, Benson, ? | Klefbomb, Nurse, Bear.

I like that Bear is made for the modern NHL and is entering his prime years. We can likely get a value contract out of him if Holland decides to sign him long-term (I think he should). I'm on the fence about Larsson. I'd give him at most a 3 year extension, which conveniently expires at the end of Bouchard's ELC. He brings the experience, leadership, and physicality that our other RD lack.

The '?' is ideally a 3C that we've gone out and acquired from somewhere. I'm open to exposing Neal for the cap space as I'm not sure if he'll be worth his contract in the remaining 2 years of his deal.

 

[ImmuneEH]

This is a very good point. But you can always trade for such a player. The guy could be a #7. That said probably two or three of this group, Jones, Lagesson, Persson, or Benning will make the requirement by the end of next year.

Fair enough, in that case this doesn't pose as big of an issue as I thought. Trading for that player would mean exposing one of our young D to waivers.

 

[Fourier]

Fair enough, in that case this doesn't pose as big of an issue as I thought. Trading for that player would mean exposing one of our young D to waivers.

It's going to be almost impossible to avoid exposing one of the young d unless they make a deal with Seattle. The key is that you want to be able to control who you expose. Your observation about having to have a guy under contract with at least 40 NHL games is something that needs to be met so as not to be forced into exposing Bear.

 

[SwedishFire]

I just hope that Holland proceeds with caution, because he needs to prepare for the expansion draft. One of Jones, Lagesson, Persson, or Benning need to be given a 2 year extension, and that player MUST meet the # of games played required. Otherwise we'll be forced to expose Bear.

"One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons." - source

Maybe thats why Jones get so many games over other alternatives.

 

[SwedishFire]

It's going to be almost impossible to avoid exposing one of the young d unless they make a deal with Seattle. The key is that you want to be able to control who you expose. Your observation about having to have a guy under contract with at least 40 NHL games is something that needs to be met so as not to be forced into exposing Bear.

I think thats a good plan 2.b. Have a deal in hand, if the two top choices doesnt get in.
Preferable dealing Neal on his last year together with a small prospect or at worst, a high draftpick.

We will see if Kassian can stay productive in about two years. Probably, but he can also start to decline.
My guess is McDavid, Draisaitl, Nuge, Yamamoto, Benson, Haas, some new guy | Klefbom, Nurse, Bear.

My bet is that Kassian, Larsson or Nygård, if he is still here, gets picked.

 

[The Nuge]

It's going to be almost impossible to avoid exposing one of the young d unless they make a deal with Seattle. The key is that you want to be able to control who you expose. Your observation about having to have a guy under contract with at least 40 NHL games is something that needs to be met so as not to be forced into exposing Bear.

meh. That’s easy enough to work around. You just sign a guy who played full time this year, but isn’t good enough to get 1 million +, to a 2 year deal to be our #7 next year. That hits the 70 games over 2 years requirement, even if you end up leaving them in the minors most of the year next year. Say Luca Sbisa or Michael Del Zotto

 

[Fourier]

meh. That’s easy enough to work around. You just sign a guy who played full time this year, but isn’t good enough to get 1 million +, to a 2 year deal to be our #7 next year. That hits the 70 games over 2 years requirement, even if you end up leaving them in the minors most of the year next year. Say Luca Sbisa or Michael Del Zotto

Yah, that's what I said in the previous post to the one you quoted.

 

[The Nuge]

Yah, that's what I said in the previous post to the one you quoted.

ah yes . Missed that

 

[Frank the Tank]

Like many other players who didn't play at the recently completed WJC, Bouchard (and every other Oilers prospect) is off Craig Button top-50 NHL-affiliated prospect list. His recency bias towards the latest WJC has become comical at this point.

 

[Aerchon]

Like many other players who didn't play at the recently completed WJC, Bouchard (and every other Oilers prospect) is off Craig Button top-50 NHL-affiliated prospect list. His recency bias towards the latest WJC has become comical at this point.

I don't understand how that guy has a job. I suppose someone finds him entertaining?

No offense to those that like him but I basically ignore or believe the opposite of everything this guy says. He is a complete joke and always has.

Edit: Having Broberg outside the top 50 is fine after his season to date but still having him as our #1 prospect is ridiculous.

 

[Llamamoto]

I don't understand how that guy has a job. I suppose someone finds him entertaining?

No offense to those that like him but I basically ignore or believe the opposite of everything this guy says. He is a complete joke and always has.

Edit: Having Broberg outside the top 50 is fine after his season to date but still having him as our #1 prospect is ridiculous.

An embarrasing list. The recency bias is just unreal. He has Joel Hofer ranked higher than any Oilers prospect. Literally know one knew about him until the world juniors, and now he's a top-50 worldwide prospect. Just ridiculous.

 

[AvOiL]

An embarrasing list. The recency bias is just unreal. He has Joel Hofer ranked higher than any Oilers prospect. Literally know one knew about him until the world juniors, and now he's a top-50 worldwide prospect. Just ridiculous.

Yup, terrible list. But....it's Craig Button. Two years ago he had Eeli Tolvanen at #2 on this list. That didn't age well.

 

[Senor Catface]

Just as an update

Bouchard is:

4th for rookie defenseman points in the AHL
Tied for 2nd for rookie defenseman goals
1st in shots (which we need from the back end on the big team) Somehow he has 20 more shots than 2nd place

Two of the rookie defensemen ahead of Bouchard in points are 24 and 23 year olds.

 

[The Batman]

Like many other players who didn't play at the recently completed WJC, Bouchard (and every other Oilers prospect) is off Craig Button top-50 NHL-affiliated prospect list. His recency bias towards the latest WJC has become comical at this point.

Shiny new toy syndrome.

 

[LTIR]

Hopefully he is improving defensively in AHL because he surely isn't 'scoring like mad' anymore

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Like many other players who didn't play at the recently completed WJC, Bouchard (and every other Oilers prospect) is off Craig Button top-50 NHL-affiliated prospect list. His recency bias towards the latest WJC has become comical at this point.

Also called Broberg a #1 can't-miss defenseman after his Hlinka-Gretzky tourney in 2018
now Rasmus Sandin is the greatest thing since sliced bread

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

and for the record...Button has never liked Bouchard, for whatever reason

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

and for the record...Button has never liked Bouchard, for whatever reason

Oilers draft pick he wasn't "high" on before they picked him, it's not more complicated then that.

 

[oobga]

Like many other players who didn't play at the recently completed WJC, Bouchard (and every other Oilers prospect) is off Craig Button top-50 NHL-affiliated prospect list. His recency bias towards the latest WJC has become comical at this point.

Impressive. Akil Thomas is now better than any Oilers prospect because of 1 goal.

Button is getting lazier and lazier every year. Dude is just gonna be a blob in a motorized chair on TSN in a couple years.

 

[AvOiL]

Also called Broberg a #1 can't-miss defenseman after his Hlinka-Gretzky tourney in 2018
now Rasmus Sandin is the greatest thing since sliced bread

Button also had Broberg ranked at #7 in his final draft rankings for the 2019 NHL Draft, ahead of names like Cozens, Knight, Podkolzin, Turcotte, Kaliyev, Robertson, Fagemo, McMichael, Harley, Heinola, Seider, Krebs, Soderstrom, Hoglander, Foote, Alnefelt, Tomasino, Pinto, all of whom made his top-50 drafted prospects list.

I understand that Broberg has not had an excellent season to date, but he also hasn't had a poor season. If you look up my previous posts (including my draft list), you'll see that I was not a fan of picking Broberg at #8, particularly with Zegras and Caufield still available. That said, I don't think there's any question that Broberg (and Bouchard for that matter) are top-50 drafted prospects. I also have no doubt that both Broberg and Bouchard will be NHL defensemen (likely top-4 defensemen), and I am confident that at least a fifth of the players in Button's top-50 will not develop into legitimate NHL players.

 

[FanOfSadTeam]

If Craig Button was so smart, he'd still be working in the NHL.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Hopefully he is improving defensively in AHL because he surely isn't 'scoring like mad' anymore

He's going through the same learning curves that Bear and Jones did in their rookie pro seasons. He'll be fine. Having two veteran RHD in Persson and Day there is likely affecting his PP time and offensive zone starts I would think.