No matter the turnover the Edmonton Oilers’ blue line sees or the criticism it faces, one guy has seemed to keep proving why he is the number one guy in the group. Evan Bouchard has been a key piece of the defence and the team for a while, but now I believe it’s time for him to get more recognition league-wide. There is a case to be made that Bouchard is a Norris Trophy candidate this season.
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Fans and media tend to drift towards the Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes of it all, rarely addressing the kind of season that Bouchard is having. It’s also hard for people to take notice when he didn’t get the exposure that the Olympic athletes did a few weeks ago. Ultimately, he starts any conversation at a disadvantage; big-name blueliners taking all the headlines, being denied a chance to play for Team Canada, and not to mention the two All-Stars he plays with every game taking a lot of spotlight.
However, the disadvantages shouldn’t completely eliminate all conversation of a potential award-winning season for Bouchard. I am here to present his Norris Trophy case.
Bouchard’s Defence Has Improved
He’s heard it all from the critics over the past couple seasons and even earlier this season. Bouchard has been known to make some noticeable turnovers that lead to goals, as well as some other questionable plays. Although if you have watched the Oilers play hockey lately, those risky passes and misplays are seldom seen from Bouchard. His numbers this season reflect the improvement, too.
He ranks fourth among all NHL defencemen in expected goals while playing the fourth most minutes of all defenders. He also sits inside the top-10 in defencemen takeaways and has a terrific on-ice goal differential of 57 that ranks him second only behind Lane Hutson. I could continue to rattle off other important stats he is among the leaders in, but there is more to look at.
Bouchard has also improved month-to-month for the Oilers, even in the midst of change around him and some bad games for the team. There’s no question he’s had turnover problems, but they have gotten noticeably better. Earlier in the season, he would give up anywhere from three to five a game, but now it seems in a lot of games he’ll surrender between zero and two. It’s a marginal improvement in a crucial category, but nonetheless important for one of the team’s best players.
Giveaways are bound to happen when you are handling a steady and heavy workload like Bouchard. Sometimes you have to take the bad with the good; however, it looks like there is a lot more good lately on both ends.
Offence Is a Factor for the Norris
Whether fans like it or not, scoring is taken into account when the Norris Trophy is awarded. It isn’t always the defenceman with the greatest defending stats. A prime example of this is 2023 winner Erik Karlsson. This isn’t to knock him or his play, but the fact is that it’s a similar case. Karlsson led defencemen in scoring in 2022-23 with an astounding 25 goals and 101 points, carrying a struggling San Jose Sharks team to the finish.
However, Karlsson’s defensive stats weren’t at the top of the charts. His on-ice expected goals against per 60 minutes was an average 3.4, he led all defenders in giveaways and played the second-most minutes of all blueliners (similar to Bouchard). You can say I’m cherry-picking stats, but there’s plenty more that tell a similar story to Bouchard.
Bouchard is currently the leader at his position with 78 points. If he continues to score and finishes the season at the top, that can’t be ignored. His masterful offensive play, combined with a huge improvement in the defensive zone this season, makes him a great candidate. It’s now time for more eyes to look his way.
Bouchard Deserves More Recognition
A lot of polls and odds are coming out as the season winds down, and Bouchard doesn’t seem to be appearing at the top of anyone’s list at the moment (other than Oilers fans’). He is getting early votes, but almost none of them in the first-place column. The fan base and local media will continue to go to battle for him on the national stage, so hopefully these last few weeks of the season truly show what Edmonton’s top blueliner can do.
