Oilers’ Star Defender Doesn’t Deserve The Hate

EDMONTON — “They hate us because they ain’t us.”

While this moniker is rather new, it perfectly applies to the Edmonton Oilers star defender.

Evan Bouchard is a divisive player. Most of the fans enjoy having him on the team. Not every star player plays mistake-free hockey in every single game. Even captain Connor McDavid is susceptible to the odd gaffe here and there.

So why is it necessary to criticize one of the best offensive defensemen to ever wear the Oilers’ colors?

Are there games where Bouchard needs to play better? Sure, but you could say that about every other player on the team.

Bouchard is coming off a career year in which he scored 82 points in 81 games while playing 23 minutes a night. He is 25 years old.

Offensively, he might not be trending as high as he was last season. However, 43 points in 54 games this year is nothing to scoff at. He’s also heating up at the right time this year.

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In his last seven games, Bouchard has recorded eight points. That’s not too shabby. He’s also been seeing the ice more than his 23:39 average.

Over the last four games, he has played 24:10, 25:30, 27:05, and 25:40. He also has six points and 23 shots during those games.

Make no mistake about it: Bouchard is a high-event player. He comes up big on offense, but his mistakes on defense are glaring. He also has a ton of room to grow.

Leon Draisaitl has been criticized for his defensive play throughout his career. However, at 29 years old, he’s turned the corner and become a defensive powerhouse.

Bouchard’s offense and youth make him a desirable asset for the Oilers. But because of the high-event nature of his play, those mistakes stick out more than the players on the team who make smaller mistakes.

That doesn’t make him any less valuable than his peers and doesn’t mean he needs to change his game. He’s elite offensively, and the defense is coming around.

There’s no need to hate on him just because.