Evan Bouchard will finish the season with a .ppg and 82 points, +34

[ijuka]

Not a narrative at all, I am an Oilers fan and I watch every Oilers game. He is very soft defensively and makes lots of mistakes.

His defensive numbers are good. Not only that, but his offensive zone start % is 58.73 and his offensive zone faceoff % is 60.23. This means that he actually actively drives play towards the offensive zone, and such stats are very rare. Even Quinn Hughes, who effectively laps the field in terms of advanced stats, has 61.7% zone start and 61.64% offensive zone faceoffs, so merely equal.

And this also looks just fine defensively:

 

[Madap]

Damn so Barrie just needed Ekholm and his xgf% goes from 49 to 60, against harder competition! You're voting for Ekholm for Norris and Hart right?

BTW the two teams in question will finish with similar p%.

He’s a lock for the Lindsay as well in my humble opinion.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Not a narrative at all, I am an Oilers fan and I watch every Oilers game. He is very soft defensively and makes lots of mistakes.

as opposed to who?

 

[Madap]

Bouchard makes some mistakes, but at least he's not Morgan Rielly bad defensively, and he's at an age where he still has development ahead of him.

This year out of the 93 defencemen that have played 1200+ minutes 5v5, Bouchard sits 36th in GAA/60.

Hardly the defensive trainwreck rival fans try to make him out to be. We keep getting told he's terrible defensively, but the terrible defense never seems to show up in more goals against than an average defenceman.

Weird.

I haven’t brought up his defensive play in this thread. He is still young and can get better.

My point was that this offensive season can very well be an anomaly for him, particularly since he’s on the Oilers. Fans are acting likes he’s just behind Makar/Hughes, etc… but I think he’s going to be very overpaid in the near future. My original point was that Barrie actually did have a similar offensive season, all things considered, but is very clearly not a great defenceman.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

This is one of those cases where +/- needs context. Bouchard is a liability defensively He is a bad defensive mistake waiting to happen. I don't think he will ever be good defensively and his cap hit is likely going to be a lot for an offense only guy. I like Bouchard but just not sure how much I value him for winning games.

Liability, lmao.

He already is good defensively.

When you only focus on the big mistake he makes every couple games, you think he’s bad, it’s more so that you’re just ignoring all the good things he does.

 

[Ol' Jase]

Should be considered for sure but that is not the criteria of the award.

If McDavid makes everyone a superstar, than he would be considered the most valuable player to his team in the league by a long shot.

 

[JAK]

Oilers better sign him for a $12m x 8 contract then, he's atleast that much better than Nurse.

 

[brentashton]

Should be considered for sure but that is not the criteria of the award.

Someone who can magically turn players on their team into superstars isn’t an MVP? Ok.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Poor man’s Tyson Barrie

 

[Cup or Bust]

Liability, lmao.

He already is good defensively.

When you only focus on the big mistake he makes every couple games, you think he’s bad, it’s more so that you’re just ignoring all the good things he does.

I don't ignore anything, we will just have to disagree. If you think he is good defensively I am not sure what to say to that. No point in even discussing it. It's one thing to say you believe he is not a liability and it's another thing to actually say he is good defensively. I would just say I think you are wrong and move on.

 

[Bank Shot]

I haven’t brought up his defensive play in this thread. He is still young and can get better.

My point was that this offensive season can very well be an anomaly for him, particularly since he’s on the Oilers. Fans are acting likes he’s just behind Makar/Hughes, etc… but I think he’s going to be very overpaid in the near future. My original point was that Barrie actually did have a similar offensive season, all things considered, but is very clearly not a great defenceman.

Based on what?

Show some evidence, because I don't see anything in his shooting percentage numbers, individual or team that suggests he has been converting more than he should.

Bouchard has also produced at a high level offensively at every level.

Barrie was a really good offensive defenceman in his prime. That guy is 7th in scoring for all defenceman from his first full season in 13/14 until this year. Saying Barrie wasn't a really strong offensive defenceman is a pretty odd thing to say.

How is being comparable offensively to a guy who was 7th in D scoring over an entire decade a bad thing?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I think people that say "he's great offensively BUT" truly don't really understand exactly how good he is offensively.

Want to know how many defencemen in the history of the league have had 82 points in a season?

23.

And most of em are current or future hall of famers.

Yeah but 5 of them were this season, and would have been 6 if Fox didn’t get hurt (73 in 72)

 

[Fourier]

I legit think we will lose him to trade in a few seasons.

Drai, McD and Bouch all due for big raises in the next 2 to 3. Not sure we can keep all 3. Hypothetically... say 15 for McD, 12 for Drai and 8 for Bouch. That is 25 million and I am just spitballing at numbers.

If you could get the three for $35M you do so and smile. With the cap rising rapidly the Oilers can manage this.

 

[POVERTY]

Not sure why Bouchard becomes such a weird topic for hockey fans. He's a PPG D-man at 24 years old. I imagine most 24 y/o D-men have defensive lapses but don't get them blown up like Bouchard's.

Funny to see him called a defensive liability or compared to Tyson Barrie (who had full reign of the top PP last year and offensive deployment, while McDavid/Drai/RNH/Hyman all played at higher point paces than this year, yet only managed a 0.70 PPG pace).

He has 18 goals in his first year as the guy, something Barrie never did. And he's making $3.9M right now lmao, the hate is so strange.

 

[StreetHawk]

Well, this will enhance his arbitration case if he ends up going that route in 2025 off-season. Up to the Oilers to decide if they want to do term or go arbitration route with him.

 

[Madap]

Based on what?

Show some evidence, because I don't see anything in his shooting percentage numbers, individual or team that suggests he has been converting more than he should.

Bouchard has also produced at a high level offensively at every level.

Barrie was a really good offensive defenceman in his prime. That guy is 7th in scoring for all defenceman from his first full season in 13/14 until this year. Saying Barrie wasn't a really strong offensive defenceman is a pretty odd thing to say.

How is being comparable offensively to a guy who was 7th in D scoring over an entire decade a bad thing?

Come on man, just look at your team.

First it Barrie with his best offensive season as an Oiler, then it was Nurse, then it was Nuge, then it’s Hyman. Draisaitl too to a certain extent, although he’s still a great player on his own. Bouchard will be another in a long list of Oilers than fans overrate and will not be able to repeat.

There’s one common factor, it’s McDavid. You guys clearly do not appreciate how good this guy is, hell you have one fan in here telling me that McDavids season this year is because of Bouchard hahahaha. Maybe I’ll end up being wrong, but Oilers fans should at least wait one season before claiming this guy is Norris worthy.

 

[Fourier]

For the...but he is brutal defensively...crowd who dismiss his advance statistical success because of McDavid , you may want to read this:

An in-depth analysis of Evan Bouchard’s game using stats and video

<span style="font-weight: 400">Evan Bouchard is having a phenomenal se...

oilersnation.com

It does a great job of debunking most of the common misconceptions about a guy who has improved immensely this year

 

[OilWagon]

Come on man, just look at your team.

First it Barrie with his best offensive season as an Oiler, then it was Nurse, then it was Nuge, then it’s Hyman. Draisaitl too to a certain extent, although he’s still a great player on his own. Bouchard will be another in a long list of Oilers than fans overrate and will not be able to repeat.

There’s one common factor, it’s McDavid. You guys clearly do not appreciate how good this guy is, hell you have one fan in here telling me that McDavids season this year is because of Bouchard hahahaha. Maybe I’ll end up being wrong, but Oilers fans should at least wait one season before claiming this guy is Norris worthy.

Come on man, just look at your team.

First it Barrie with his best offensive season as an Oiler, then it was Nurse, then it was Nuge, then it’s Hyman. Draisaitl too to a certain extent, although he’s still a great player on his own. Bouchard will be another in a long list of Oilers than fans overrate and will not be able to repeat.

There’s one common factor, it’s McDavid. You guys clearly do not appreciate how good this guy is, hell you have one fan in here telling me that McDavids season this year is because of Bouchard hahahaha. Maybe I’ll end up being wrong, but Oilers fans should at least wait one season before claiming this guy is Norris worthy.

You forgot to mention how much he helps the trainers and concession workers too.

You think Oilers don't realize how good McDavid is? Ok then, that's certainly a take. Oilers fans know he is the best player in the world, but that doesn't mean you can use his success to discredit an entire team, this isn't basketball, it's hockey and you need a team to have success. Either way if every single one of those players success is exclusively owed to him then he should have a unanimous Hart win this year.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Real talk: if you're choosing a defender for your franchise you taking Makar or Bouchard?

The answer was once easily Makar (and rightfully so). Today it's not an easy answer.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Yeah but 5 of them were this season, and would have been 6 if Fox didn’t get hurt (73 in 72)

Four of them were this season, coulda woulda shoulda. Staying healthy is a key to achieving important milestones.

 

[ESH]

Not conveniently left out... the argument is that Bouch gets these numbers because he's with McDrai. So was Barrie and he didn't come close to that.

His best season was 59 points in 80 games with the Avs. Still not 82 points. And I like Tyson Barrie a lot.

View attachment 854424
Here are his Oiler totals.

Barrie led all defensemen in scoring in 20-21

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Poor man’s Tyson Barrie

Entertainingly, we saw Tyson Barrie on this team. With McDavid. He was nowhere even close to as good as Bouchard is.

in 21-22 Bouchard had two more points than Barrie. 43-41. Bouchard had 35 points at even strength. Barrie had 19.

Barrie was a powerplay merchant. Bouchard is good everywhere, and produces everywhere.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Four of them were this season, coulda woulda shoulda. Staying healthy is a key to achieving important milestones.

what im saying is scoring is up, especially amongst d-men

 

[CupofOil]

Bouchard is gifted offensively and putrid defensively. A player with a good shot, ability to QB the PP and make a first pass playing with prime McDavid is going to put up a lot of points.

McDavid turns everyone he plays with into superstars.

Untrue and also untrue but some posters on the main boards including this one I just quoted are uneducated about Oiler players so not surprised that this dumb narrative is posted here continuously.

Not saying that Bouchard is great defensively because he does have those "head in the clouds" moments but he's definitely improved from where he was even last season.

And.... McDavid doesn't turn everybody into stars. There have been quite a few players tried with McDavid that haven't succeeded big. It takes a certain type of player to play well with McDavid, namely a guy who will get him the puck, wins puck battles down low and causes havoc around the net but, no, he doesn't turn everybody into stars. Not true at all. There is definitely a McDavid inflation that exists but not everybody succeeds big with him.

Also, the Ekholm-Bouchard pairing thrives with and without McDavid. You can argue that Ekholm has been a bigger reason for Bouchard's success than McDavid has, a strong argument but, sure, it's all McDavid all the time. Everybody is super awesome with him and super sucky without him because.....reasons.

Entertainingly, we saw Tyson Barrie on this team. With McDavid. He was nowhere even close to as good as Bouchard is.

in 21-22 Bouchard had two more points than Barrie. 43-41. Bouchard had 35 points at even strength. Barrie had 19.

Barrie was a powerplay merchant. Bouchard is good everywhere, and produces everywhere.

They'll never get it. You can also just watch the games and see that Bouchard controls play and is a better outlet passer than Barrie was and not by an insignificant margin.

I also remember when Draisaitl was a product of McDavid and wasn't even a #1 center without him. I remember it well.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Barrie led all defensemen in scoring in 20-21

2020-21 Barrie

56 games, 54 goals for at 5v5 and 49 against, for a differential of 5. 48% in scoring chances, 46% in dangerous chances.

2023-24 Bouchard:

81 games, 94 goals for 5v5 and 58 against for a differential of 36. 61% in scoring chances, 63.5% in dangerous chances.

what im saying is scoring is up, especially amongst d-men

Does that mean that the milestones matter less? Especially since most of the defencemen ahead of him played in the highest scoring era in league history?