Edmonton Oilers defenceman is getting more expensive by the game

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Edmonton Oilers defenceman is getting more expensive by the game

Posted By: jasabacklink February 18, 2024

Evan Bouchard is going to cost the Edmonton Oilers a lot of money.

Soon.

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The 24-year-old defenceman appears poised to take his bridge contract straight to the bank when it expires after the 2024-25 campaign. The Oilers are barely past halfway mark of the season and he’s already posting personal bests in goals (14), assists (36) and points (50) on the bargain-rate deal of $3.9 million.

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If he stays on his current trajectory, and there is no reason to believe he won’t, he’ll doubling his current salary and then some. 

Bouchard will have arbitration rights and his case is already quite strong as he sits fifth in scoring by a defenceman, behind only Quinn Hughes, Cale Maker, Noah Dobson and Victor Hedman. If he gets to add a deep playoff run, or even a Stanley Cup, to the resume, the cost will only go up.

The fact that his deal is up at the same time Leon Drasisaitl’s current contract expires could put the team in an expensive bind in the near future, but right now it means the Oilers are getting the very most out of their top offensive defenceman.

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After a sketchy start that saw him go minus three in three of his first six games this year, he’s recovered brilliantly, picking up where he left off in last year’s playoffs, where he finished with 17 points in 12 games.

“That was probably the best game I’ve seen him play for the last couple of weeks,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch, after Bouchard scored two goals, including the overtime winner, in Dallas Saturday to give him six points in the last three games.

“He’s very dangerous when he has the puck. He has the big bomb and the heavy shot, but a lot of his goals are just little sifters, little wristers from the point.

“He makes a little move walking the line, freezes the forward and then rips a nice little wrist shot inside the post.”

Newest Oiler Corey Perry sees a young defender with a poise that belies his 24 years.

“He’s confident back there, there is no panic in his game,” said Perry. “When he gets the puck at the blue line he’s always making the right play.”

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