The Edmonton Oilers have faced ups and downs to start their season. Losing the first three games in lackluster performances, they’ve come back to win their two most recent games. The Oilers are hoping they are finding their groove. But not everyone has found their footing yet. Particularly, defender Evan Bouchard has struggled immensely so far this season.
Coming into the season with Norris Trophy hopes, Bouchard has seemingly fallen flat. Known as an offensive defenseman, he has struggled to replicate his postseason point production. He has one point in five games, a goal in a gritty win against the Philadelphia Flyers. That puts him on pace for only 16 points this season. The expectation is that he’ll pick up his pace of production, but it’s a huge drop-off from where he was last season.
It’s not just Bouchard’s offensive struggles that have been hurting the Oilers. His lack of puck control and awareness has proven costly, frequently leading to giveaways in dangerous areas. In just five games, Bouchard has already turned the puck over ten times, putting him on pace for a staggering 164 giveaways this season. If he keeps it up, it would be the highest amount of giveaways in a single season in NHL history.
Cutting Bouchard Some Slack
The silver lining is that it’s still early in the season, and Bouchard isn’t the only one struggling — the entire team has had a slow start. At just 24 years old, he’s still developing into an elite defenseman, and mistakes are part of the process. However, Bouchard needs to step up soon, as he’s a key factor in the Oilers’ success moving forward.
Bouchard’s contract is up at the end of the season, and he’s got plenty of incentive to right his game. With preliminary reports suggesting he could earn close to $10 million a year, he needs a performance worth that amount of money.
Although Bouchard has fallen short of expectations this season, he remains a highly skilled defenseman capable of achieving a historic point pace. With over 70 games left, he has plenty of time to turn things around. His position as the Oilers’ top defender isn’t in jeopardy, but he needs to find his form soon — starting with Saturday’s matinée rematch of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars.
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