Evan Bouchard: One of the Oilers’ Most Important Players
When people talk about the Edmonton Oilers, the conversation usually starts—and often ends—with Connor McDavid. Next, Leon Draisaitl. Fair enough. Generational players tend to dominate the frame. But if you watch this team closely, especially when games tighten up, or special teams matter, you start to see another name doing a lot of the heavy lifting: Evan Bouchard.
Bouchard Has a Unique Skill Set.
Bouchard isn’t loud about it. He doesn’t play with flash for the sake of flash. But night after night, he’s become the connective tissue that holds Edmonton’s offence together, especially from the back end. And that’s not a small thing on a team built to score. His recent six-point game made history.
Start with the obvious: production. Among NHL defensemen this season, Bouchard sits near the top in goals, assists, points, power-play points, and shots on goal. That alone puts him in rare company. But numbers only tell part of the story. What matters more is how those numbers are generated—and when.
Bouchard’s Play with the Man Advantage Is Second to None.
On the power play, Bouchard is the stabilizer. Playing on the top unit with McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman isn’t just about feeding stars. Someone has to read pressure, hold the blue line, move pucks quickly, and know when to shoot rather than force one more pass. Bouchard does that. His shot isn’t just heavy—it’s timely. He gets pucks through traffic, and that keeps penalty killers honest. Without that threat from the point, everything collapses inward.
Five-on-Five, Bouchard Keeps the Puck Moving.
Even at five-on-five, Bouchard is a key guy. He’s always taking shots, but not wild ones. From the blue line or the slot, he keeps the puck moving and stays in the play. He’s skating, resetting, and sticking with the action. That’s how the Oilers keep the attack going instead of giving up the flow.
And here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough: durability and pace. Bouchard logs miles—literally. He moves, he closes gaps, and he keeps plays alive. That matters on a team that wants to attack in waves. When the Oilers are humming, Bouchard is usually the one starting the sequence.
Bouchard Is Becoming the Best Version of Himself.
The bottom line? Edmonton doesn’t just need Evan Bouchard to be good. They need him to be this version of himself. A defenceman who scores, yes—but more importantly, one who makes everything else work. Strip that away, and the Oilers are still dangerous. Keep it intact, and they’re legitimately hard to defend.