While the Edmonton Oilers continue to bounce between wins and losses, the need for the team to play better defence, both in the net and out front, has become abundantly clear. This starts with the leaders on the blue line, Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard.
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The top pairing signed new multi-year deals during the offseason, solidifying their long-term role on the team. Despite the money and renewed expectations, it has been slow-moving out of the gate for both of them, and as each game passes, the pressure mounts.
Ekholm and Bouchard’s Numbers Don’t Lie
It hasn’t been easy for anyone on the Oilers’ blue line this season, but Ekholm ranks 14th in the league with 28 giveaways, while Bouchard is a bit further down the list with 23, and the two have combined for 29 defensive zone giveaways. Bouchard is also a minus-10, while Ekholm is a minus-9.
Of course, the top pairing gets more ice time per game than the rest of the defensive unit, but it can’t all be blamed on that. Ekholm and Bouchard have been trusted with a heavy workload before and have thrived, especially in the playoffs – Bouchard went on a six-game pointless streak to start the season, while Ekholm has had two separate five-game streaks without recording a point. That can’t happen on the top defensive pairing for any team.
That said, their offensive numbers have picked up in recent games, and hopefully, their defence does as well. The Oilers’ coaching staff can’t be worrying about their top two blueliners, especially with other needs to address.
Oilers Defence Needs a Confidence Boost
Bouchard and Ekholm have been trusted with a heavy workload in the past and with good reason. When they are on their game, the rest of the team is more likely to have success. Bouchard averaged over 26 minutes of ice time per game in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The postseason before that, he averaged over 25 minutes, and Ekholm averaged roughly 22 minutes. They were both playing stellar hockey, and so was the team.
That playoff consistency and confidence are what these defensemen need to find again. They seem to have lost that, and it has affected the team. Getting the Oilers back on track starts with their top line playing consistently and allowing the rest of the defence to feed off them.
Oilers Need Leaders
Bouchard and Ekholm are the top pair in front of veterans like Darnell Nurse and Jake Walman, but they have youth on the back end as well. Alec Regula and Ty Emberson are both just 25 years old and chomping at the bit to learn and, hopefully, fill a top-six role for years to come. Having big, skilled veterans leading the way is important for their development. Those veterans need to understand that and fulfill that role.
All the veterans on the Oilers are dedicated and looking for the right direction. The recent video of Bouchard and Ekholm, and their exchange with McDavid, is a great sign. It shows how much they want to figure things out and get the season going. There’s no better time than now, and it starts with the talent and leadership at the top of the lineup.
