The Edmonton Oilers have had a decent start to the season and finally seem to be figuring some things out as they aim to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990. One player who has faced plenty of criticism early on in the campaign is defender Evan Bouchard. He has turned quite a few pucks over, seems to be a little lost in the defensive zone at times, and fans have been letting him hear it on social media.
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I have criticized Bouchard myself numerous times, stating how much his defensive blunders have cost the Oilers and how people look at his style of play was incorrect, but times have changed, as has my opinion on him. Defenders being able to keep the puck out of the defensive zone, or even just out of their own net, is their goal, and if he spends the majority of his time in the offensive zone, he is doing his job perfectly, if not better than his peers.
Bouchard’s criticism comes after he signed a massive four-year deal that came with a $10.5 million annual cap hit, and even though he is one of the best clutch performers in the postseason, has dominated offensively in the playoffs over the past several seasons, has helped the Oilers make multiple deep runs into the postseason, and is in the running to represent his home country of Canada at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics, fans continue to overthink how he performs early in the season.
This start is no different from any other season in his career, and his analytics remain at an elite level.
Evan Bouchard, signed 4x$10.5M by EDM, is a high-end offensive defenceman who moves the puck very well, has a deadly shot, and tilts the ice no matter who he plays with despite his propensity for the odd bone-headed error. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/wmOxq3iEnY
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 30, 2025
His defensive blunders are blatantly obvious when they happen because they seem to be in big moments, but the reality is, he is so strong offensively that he doesn’t spend much time in the defensive zone to begin with. He has proven time and time again that he is one of the best defenders in the NHL, and Oilers captain Connor McDavid came to his defence after the Oilers’ recent win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Connor McDavid on Evan Bouchard:
— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) November 2, 2025
“You guys can say what you want about him. We love him in there. We know his best is among the very, very, very best.” #Oilers
This surely won’t silence fans who continue to criticize Bouchard early on, but the reality is, his teammates trust him and know he is one of the best players in the NHL. Once he snaps out of the cold streak he is on to open the 2025-26 season, he will re-establish himself in that conversation.
Oilers Avoided Bouchard Offer Sheet Threat This Offseason
Once the Oilers announced that they had signed Bouchard to a new deal, fans quickly questioned the hefty price tag, but it came out that the threat of a potential offer sheet was real, and the Oilers had to up their offer and avoid risking him signing somewhere else.
Some fans will wish that the Oilers had just let Bouchard sign the offer sheet and walk, which would’ve been catastrophic for their blue line, but that’s a conversation for another day.
Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Oilers increased their offer to Bouchard, but the Carolina Hurricanes were planning to send an offer sheet for a one-year deal for more than what McDavid recently extended for, at $12.5 million annually.
Thankfully, the Oilers were able to keep the superstar defender around as they continue to push for a championship. He is in a slump and looks worse than usual, but that’s classic Oilers hockey early on in the season, and everything should sort itself out as time goes on. For now, the team seems to be sticking together and pumping each other’s tires, rather than dragging each other down.
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