After last night’s beauty win over the Chicago Blackhawks, there was a bit of buzz on Twitter regarding the Oilers’ prized blue-chip prospect Evan Bouchard and where he’d be spending the rest of the season.
As a junior-aged player, the Oilers have the option of sending Bouchard back to the OHL after nine games if they feel he’s not ready for the rigors of the NHL. However, seven games into his stint, the six-foot-three, 194-pound defenceman is fitting in well and seems likely to stick for the year.– Derek Van Diest (source)
Or not…
With Alex Formenton being returned to London…It won't be long before Evan Bouchard is return to the same team. Oiler source tells me "going back to London will be the best". It will happen soon.
— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) November 2, 2018
A bit surprised. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Oilers also send Evan Bouchard back to London as well. The Knights will be tough to beat. https://t.co/fv2mThS012
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 2, 2018
So Van Diest is the only member of the media I’ve heard who’s saying anything remotely close to the notion that Bouchard would be staying with Edmonton this year. Otherwise, every other person who covers the team from Bob Stauffer to Jason Gregor to Ryan Rishaug to the gentlemen in the tweets above, have said he’s going back.
Seriously, Stauffer has been talking about it all week.
Now here’s the thing that has me leaning towards Bouchard being sent back.
Who do the Oilers play next? The Detroit Red Wings.
How convenient would it be for the Oilers to play Bouchard in his 8th game versus a struggling Detroit Red Wings and then send him back to London or better yet, send him back this morning so that he can join the Knights for their game vs. Flint tonight.
A brief 5-hour flight direct and he’s back in London, ready to go for Dale Hunter’s crew.
I mean it doesn’t really matter that much when he goes back as the Knights have three games in three nights here this weekend against Flint, Owen Sound, and Kitchener.
Evan Bouchard has one goal in seven games this year and is dash five with two minutes in penalties. He’s been sheltered immensely as well and He’s not making the sort of impact that other 19-year-old defenders like Miro Heiskanen (DAL) or Henri Jokiharju (CHI) are making with their clubs thus making it a near certainty that he will be sent back to the OHL.
**UPDATE**
The Oilers have sent defenceman Evan Bouchard back to the London Knights (per Sam Cosentino).
His maiden NHL stint ends at 7 games, 1-0-1, 2 PIMs and a minus-5.
Not ready yet, but Bouchard will be an excellent Dman for a long, long time.— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) November 2, 2018
When Bouchard gets sent back, how will that affect the Oilers defense?
I don’t think it’ll affect it that much, to be honest.
The Oilers are more or less covered bottom-pairing-wise with Matt Benning, Jason Garrison, and one of Kevin Gravel, Ethan Bear, or whatever other AHL defender you’d like to choose and then at some point I imagine Andrej Sekera will re-join the group.
All of us Oilers fans have really enjoyed Bouchard’s calming demeanor, Al MacInnis-like slapshot, and slick passing so far this season but there are far too many risks involved in keeping him. Especially in a season where jobs are on the line, this is an Oilers team that can’t really afford to be developing a defenseman at the NHL level and that’s okay too because he’ll be back next season and the Oilers options with him will include the AHL due to him playing in his 4th major junior season.
This is the right move for Bouchard and the Oilers. Bring along this young man slowly and gently and reap the benefits down the road else feel the ire of the fanbase and the critique of the media if he’s rushed in the same manner Jesse Puljujarvi has been.
As I always say though when it comes to roster moves. Things can change at the drop of a hat so don’t bet your kids’ college funds on what you read on the internet 🙂
Thoughts? What do you think about this impending move with Bouchard? Would you send him back or keep him past the 9-game mark and burn a year of his ELC off?
Let us know in the comments below!
