The Edmonton Oilers are almost in the heart of the offseason and there are still a few more jobs to check off the list. The most important job in my opinion is re-signing Evan Bouchard. This is important because Bouchard is in the Oilers top 4 and runs the NHL’s best powerplay.
I have written several articles about Evan Bouchard this offseason, trading him and someone putting in an offer sheet. For some reason I have yet to actually do one on just signing him and how that is the most likely outcome.
What Does A Evan Bouchard Contract Look Like For The Edmonton Oilers?
In a perfect world, the Edmonton Oilers would lock up Evan Bouchard for 8 years and call it a day. Unfortunately, I don’t think the Bouchard camp will be down for that idea. This means that there will likely be a bridge deal done.
Elliotte Friedman noted on his 32 Thoughts Podcast that this is the way it will go, at least until the salary cap goes up.
"“I just think they’re going to have to do a one-year deal there, I just don’t see how you, I think you have to do one year and a year where the cap goes up and you deal with it there”"
This implies that Bouchard will be getting a lower cap hit for the next few years, then after that, he will be getting a solid raise for the long term. It will be a very similar scenario to what happened with Darnell Nurse.
It will cost the Oilers more money in a few years, but it is a similar problem with a player buyout. You save money in the short term, but it hurts you down the road. A team needs to weigh the pros and cons of it. This is a bit easier than a buyout as you at least get to keep Evan Bouchard.
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At the end of the day, I think the Edmonton Oilers will be better with Evan Bouchard in the lineup. If this means giving him a bridge deal then I say do it. He made some errors last season, but you need to remember he is only 23 years old and has lots of potential to grow into.