The Edmonton Oilers are tied to defenseman Evan Bouchard for the next several seasons, as he agreed to sign a four-year contract that carries through the 2028-29 NHL Season with a $10.5 million salary cap hit.
Bouchard has been patrolling Edmonton’s blue line for the past several seasons, and was a key part of helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons in 2024 and 2025, though both occasions unfortunately resulted in heartbreaking losses to the Florida Panthers.
Meanwhile, Bouchard’s defensive abilities have come under heavy scrutiny for his tendency to miss assignments and get burned by the opposition. That didn’t stop him, however, from being listed as the 10th overall defenseman in the League by a recent ranking from NHL.com.
Former 3x Stanley Cup Winning Defenseman Ken Daneyko Calls Out Edmonton Oilers Blue Liner Evan Bouchard
According to former NHL veteran defenseman Ken Daneyko, who won the Stanley Cup three times during his career with the New Jersey Devils, Bouchard’s placing at No. 10 overall may be a bit “low” for him, but because of his routine defensive errors, the placing could ultimately be justified.
“… But there’s so many at times glaring errors or giveaways or standing next to a player when he’s looking right at him and he should lift the stick and it’s an easy tap in for the opposition … I’m one of those guys that say I think 10 might be a little low for him, but I get why he’s there,” said Daneyko.
Meanwhile, Daneyko knows all about what it takes to be the last NHL club standing, as his name is engraved on the Stanley Cup three times for helping the Devils reach the mountaintop in 1995, 2000, and 2003.
What does he believe needs to be done in order for Bouchard to enjoy the same glory he did?
“… to be a Stanley Cup champion, if he can just alter a little bit of [his defensive game] and and focus a little bit more when he doesn’t have the puck defensively because he’s smart enough, he’s good enough to be in position he’s good enough to be a guy that doesn’t get beat one or get caught flatfooted, that’s just a concerted effort,” said Daneyko.
The Oilers Re-Signed Evan Bouchard To A Multi-Year Contract With A $10.5 Million Cap Hit
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman, who presented the deal to Bouchard, would explain shortly after it was signed that a longer deal wasn’t in the cards.
“That was an important signing,” Bowman said. “We haven’t talked about that yet, but you know, Bouch had a tremendous season, a tremendous couple seasons.
“He’s emerged as a very important player on our team,” he continued. “So getting him signed was critical. I guess the negotiations, you know, an eight year term was really never in the cards. The agent indicated that that wasn’t something they thought made sense for them with. I think it’s really a function of salary cap and where that’s going. We certainly know the next three years it’s going up considerable amounts. We do know what those numbers are and I think we don’t know where it’s going beyond that.”
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