The Oilers aren’t likely to hold extension discussions with star defenseman Evan Bouchard this offseason, sources tell The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman. Bouchard is set to be an RFA with arbitration rights next summer as he’s entering the back half of a two-year, $7.8MM bridge deal.
Last season, Bouchard’s $3.9MM cap hit was arguably the most value-laden deal in the league, not including entry-level contracts. Bouchard came in fifth in Norris Trophy voting after posting 18 goals, 64 assists, 82 points and a +34 rating – all career-highs – in 81 games. The right-shot blue liner proceeded to have a record-breaking postseason, setting a new single-playoff high in assists (26) to beat out former Oilers defenseman and current assistant coach Paul Coffey’s record, set in 1985. His +14 rating also led all skaters in the postseason as Edmonton advanced to its first Stanley Cup Final since 2006.
There’s little to dislike about Bouchard’s game as he fully hits his stride entering his age-25 season, even if he is prone to the occasional extremely visible one-on-one defensive lapse. His possession numbers, while already strong, flourished last year with a full season of Mattias Ekholm as his partner. The duo was arguably the best pairing in the league, controlling a mind-blowing 62.8% of expected goals through nearly 1,200 minutes together, per MoneyPuck.
Bouchard hasn’t had any significant health issues since reaching the NHL full-time, either. He’s only missed two games over the past three seasons.
With all that in mind, Bouchard projects to be the best defender to hit RFA status next summer, leading a group that includes Noah Dobson, Brock Faber and Luke Hughes, who should all get paid handsomely. It’s hard to imagine Bouchard landing anything other than a max-term eight-year deal, something the Oilers would surely find desirable with him being two years away from UFA eligibility when his current deal expires. Evolving-Hockey projects a $9.5MM cap hit on such an extension, a higher AAV than the long-term deal Cale Makar signed three years ago but a lower percentage of the salary cap. But if he builds on last season’s performance, Edmonton runs the risk of needing to shell out more cash to keep him around long-term by not getting an extension done now.
While a new GM will be handling Bouchard’s negotiations after Ken Holland’s contract wasn’t renewed, the Oilers have issued eight-year deals to almost all of their core players in the Connor McDavid era. McDavid himself, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse are all currently on max-term deals.
After an extremely active July 1 that saw the Oilers bring in Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner while retaining UFAs Connor Brown, Adam Henrique and Mattias Janmark, the major legwork is over for acting GM Jeff Jackson. His main responsibility is now finding Holland’s successor, an item that could be checked off next week. Reports earlier this week indicated they have interest in former Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman, who the NHL deemed eligible to work in the league earlier this week after being barred for over two years “as a result of [his] inadequate response upon being informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks’ Player, Kyle Beach, had been assaulted by the Club’s video coach.” That announcement could come as early as next Wednesday.
The Oilers have just terrible ownership and upper management.
Set aside the moral or ethical concerns that Bowman brings…what about the part where he was a lousy GM who coasted off the work that Dale Tallon did?
I’d take Ken Holland over Stan Bowman every day of the year and I’d never hire Holland.
It’s like they are trying to prevent McDavid from winning (and he still got one game away).
The Oilers are going to have to figure out if they can keep their core together in the next few years with many of them needing extensions. Luckily for them, the cap will be rising for the foreseeable future so it will may make things a bit easier to possibly attain their core talents starting with Leon Draisaitl (whose projected to get anywhere from $10m to $12m AAV) & Evan Bouchard next season. They’re projected to have $29.6m in cap space next season which will help with having that cap flexibility.
Any team putting serious consideration in the idea of Bowman as their GM needs an industrial-strength breathalyzer test.
And if his lack of morals doesn’t throw you look no farther than his biggest trade. A bunch of draft picks for Seth Jones and then his stupid 9.5 per year extension until 2030. And if you’re OK with both of those then you should be the one who gets fired.
@Unclemike1526 — I think we can still hear Stan saying, “Anything stupid that Chiarelli can do, I can outdo!”
Not to mention that he left Davidson with no talent, No draft picks and an albatross contract and horrible cap situation. Yeah that’s who you want for a GM. Davidson managed to acquire 3 1st round picks that first year out of Zero. He’s totally fixed the Cap in 2 years( Except for Jones he’s stuck with that) added 8 1st round picks in a little over 2 years and has the Hawks on the move. Houdini couldn’t make Jones contract disappear but Davidson should be in contention for Executive of the year. If the Oilers think you have Cap problems now, If you hire this a** clown you’ll find out what Cap He** is really like. And the draft picks won’t be any better.
Seriously Bowman . I would not sign him Regardless of the Kyle Beach. He was a bad G .M . Hiring him proves what boys club Nhl is. Give Mark hunter chance. Or Keith Gretzky .
@sweetg — Very good alternatives there. They wouldn’t go wrong with either guy.