As a fan of the Edmonton Oilers, the news that Evan Bouchard is being moved down to the third pairing has been met with mixed reactions. However, I believe that this decision is a positive move for the team’s defense. If you watched any of the last game it is hard to argue that fact.
While Bouchard has certainly shown flashes of brilliance on the offensive side of the ice, he is still a young player with a lot to learn in his end. Moving him down to the third pairing will allow him to focus on developing his skills and learning from his more experienced teammates.
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This move will help to balance out the team’s defensive pairings. With Bouchard on the second pairing, the Oilers were relying heavily on him to shoulder a significant amount of responsibility. He has proven in the last few games that he isn’t ready for that pressure.
By moving him down to the third pairing, the team can spread out the workload more evenly and give each pairing a better chance to succeed. With this move, Broberg will now be paired with Ekholm on the second pair.
Ultimately, I believe that this move will be a positive one for the Oilers. By allowing Bouchard to get back his confidence and easing the pressure on his shoulders, the team will be better equipped to compete.
While it may be the right move to see Evan Bouchard moved down to the third pairing, it’s important to remember that putting the younger Broberg in his spot may not work instantly. This does allow Broberg to develop his skills against a higher skill, but it may also cause more errors on his end. I’m excited to see what the team can accomplish with this new lineup and hopefully, we will not be talking about either player’s defensive issues tomorrow morning.