The Edmonton Oilers Need To Figure Out What To Do With Evan Bouchard
Evan Bouchard is the Edmonton Oilers 10th overall draft pick from the 2018 draft. He is due to become a restricted free agent this coming offseason. The Edmonton Oilers already extended goaltender Stuart Skinner, in my opinion, they need to get Bouchard re-upped soon as well.
Stuart Skinner signed a 3-year extension worth $2.6 million per year. I don’t think that Bouchard will cost any more than that. The real question is do the Edmonton Oilers and Evan Bouchard want the same amount of term?
If I were the Edmonton Oilers I try to push him to the max term, whereas the Bouchard camp would try to go shorter. Bouchard hasn’t had the best season, but he is putting up points at a good rate. As he gets older it will only get better.
This is why the Oilers will try to make it long-term, and lock him up before he has a breakout season. They should have learned the lesson of what can happen if you keep signing bridge deals from Darnell Nurse.
The Edmonton Oilers Need This Deal Done Before The Trade Deadline
The extension of Bouchard needs to be done before the deadline, so the Edmonton Oilers management team knows if they should look at trading him at the deadline. If the Oilers and Evan Bouchard can’t come to a deal then a trade may be the best option.
The Oilers are in win-now mode. This means that they should be open to trading any and all prospects if it can improve their team. At the top of that list is Bouchard. He may be in the Edmonton Oilers lineup on a regular basis, but he is still their best young option on the blue line.
With his skill set, he will be a coveted player for any other team trying to start a rebuild, which means the Edmonton Oilers could possibly pry out a solid player from a team out of the playoff picture. If they traded Bouchard for a player that helped them win the Stanley Cup, then it will be worth it.
The Clock Is Ticking
The March 3rd NHL trade deadline is quickly approaching and the Edmonton Oilers need to improve this team to win the Cup. Evan Bouchard is a good player for this current roster, but if they can get someone better by moving him the Edmonton Oilers management needs to seriously consider making the move.
The time is now for the Edmonton Oilers to try and win the cup. Making sure you have the strongest team you can going into the playoffs is a big part of hoisting Lord Stanley. If the Oilers don’t re-sign Bouchard by the deadline I wouldn’t be surprised if he is moved.