I think that Bouchard may already be as good as Nurse is defensively. That isnt saying much but when you can score at a point per game pace then that makes a big difference in terms of value.
At this present time thats probably true. That makes it even better.
Nurse and Bouchard are defensemen playing different roles on the team. Switch places with the players.
Nurse isnt very good at generating offence so when his defensive game is poor he is a liability.
Alot of that seems to be from his pairing being the one paired with the top line.
Nurse actually leads the D core in 5v5 IPP, so he's involved in the highest percentage of offense while he's on the ice, but the overall offense is lower because he sees less time with McDavid and in less offensive situations.
Yes, he's the Douchard! But at 80 points a season one would be happy even with Nurse! lol.
Nurse got his pay day while he was the #1 PP quarterback. Bouchard gets that lift now, and of course he's lifted by getting to play with Ekholm.
I think he's better defensively than people give him credit. I remember there was a breakdown where bouchard was the best Oilers' d-man in terms of preventing zone entry and breaking the cycle. He's not the speediest, but he's usually in a good position and is not a small offensive d-man like Barrie or Karlsson. He averages 23 minutes a game and is a massive +35. For the sake of comparison, Nurse is +5 playing fewer minutes. Part of it is Ekholm, but it's not just Ekholm.
People focus on one big mistake and ignore all the good things he does.
I've seen some amazing D zone skills from Bouchard. He will have these great moments where he will catch pucks in mid air he's gotten better about showing intensity in the D zone.
Ekholm still makes mistakes, it just gets brushed aside because hes a veteran or something.
Rest Ekholm and play Bouchard with Kulak as the top pairing for the last game of the regular season against Colorado. Unless Colorado is resting players that pairing gets obliterated. Even if they are resting players a Bouchard/Kulak pairing gets red ass spanked.
I'd rest Ekholm that game for no other reason than that the Avs might play some young guys who will want to get noticed, and might do something dumb like cheap shot Ekholm for what he did to Rantanen
I hope the Oilers play their most physical game since the 80s in a bloodbath with their entire playoff roster intact against Colorado.
You mean playing a #5 on the top pair with Bouchard wont work?
Sure, but clearly Ekholm see's something positive in Bouchards defensive play with how much Ekholm is pinching now, its becoming more and more common as the season goes on.
Play Bouchard on the first pairing with any other defenseman available on the Oilers roster except Ekholm against Colorado and see what happens. You'd come up with an excuse for Bouchard, I'm sure.
