Evan Bouchard Should Be Off the Oilers’ Penalty Kill This Season

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard had a fantastic 2025-26 season, recording 21 goals and 95 points, averaging 24:41 of ice time. This was his career high in goals, assists, points, and ice time. He averaged over one minute more per game than the season prior.

The reason for his boost in ice time was his inclusion on the penalty kill. He led the Oilers in shorthanded ice time with 140:40. He spent 132:04 shorthanded in 2021-22, but not much since. In 2024-25, he played just 18:42 on the penalty kill. The 26-year-old blueliner plays a ton and plays in all situations. However, he doesn’t need to be a mainstay on the penalty kill.

The Oilers’ penalty kill struggled at points last season, ranking 20th in the league at 77.8 percent. They hired new head coach Mike Babcock and new associate coach D.J. Smith, which should help improve their defensive systems, including the penalty kill. The Oilers need to revamp their shorthanded unit, and that should include taking Bouchard off it. Hopefully, these new coaches make the necessary changes.

Bouchard’s Ice Time Should Be Cut Back

The Oilers should consider load management with Bouchard. He plays heavy even-strength minutes against the best players on opposing teams. He also plays nearly every second of the power play. He has become a versatile player and added penalty killing to his repertoire. While that versatility is a valuable asset, he doesn’t need to put that extra wear and tear on his body.

The NHL season is a marathon, not a sprint, and as we saw in the playoffs, the Oilers ran into significant injury trouble. They eventually ran out of gas, and the injuries caught up to them. While Bouchard wasn’t among the players affected by the injury bug during the playoffs, the Oilers should remain cautious.

However, Bouchard got injured during the 2026 World Championship in May after taking an illegal check to the head in Canada’s quarterfinal game against the United States. He suffered a concussion, and the organization shouldn’t put him in unnecessary situations. If they lose their number-one defenceman for an extended period, they might not recover.

Bouchard doesn’t need to risk injury by blocking extra shots on the penalty kill. The season has now expanded to 84 games, and the goal should be keeping the star players healthy. If the Oilers hope to win the Stanley Cup, they need their best defenceman on the ice contributing at even strength and on their lethal power play.

Emberson & Shea Can Fill That Void

During Babcock’s introductory press conference, he made it clear that roles needed to be established early on. What better way to do that than by giving players more meaningful minutes on the penalty kill? Most notably, Ty Emberson. Emberson is a solid third-pair right-handed defenceman who averaged 15:31 last season. He spent 90:40 shorthanded, good for sixth on the team and fourth among defencemen. The 26-year-old is entering his fourth NHL season and should be poised to take on an elevated role.

After trading Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks, the Oilers signed Ryan Shea in free agency. Nurse was a prolific penalty killer for Edmonton, spending 117:15 shorthanded, good for third among defencemen. However, Shea can easily replace those minutes.

On the Pittsburgh Penguins, he was second among defencemen and third on the team in shorthanded ice time with 171:24. Shea and Emberson won’t get power play time, but they should be crucial members of the penalty kill, and that unit needs to be much improved this season.

Oilers Have Options

The Oilers have other options they can utilize. Mattias Ekholm was second on the team in shorthanded minutes with 134:22 and should remain a significant member of the penalty kill. The Oilers also have Connor Murphy, who was acquired at the 2026 Trade Deadline, and he was extended for five more seasons. He was a massive part of the Chicago Blackhawks’ penalty kill, and that should be the same in Edmonton.

Jake Walman and Spencer Stastney also spent some time on the penalty kill last season. Stastney was on the ice for 51:52, and Walman was on for 51:28. They aren’t everyday penalty killers, but they have experience and can step in if needed. The Oilers have six other blueliners who can kill penalties, so they don’t need Bouchard in that role.

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