Evan Bouchard heads into the 2025–26 season as the Edmonton Oilers’ highest-paid defenceman and the fourth-highest-paid blueliner in the entire NHL, with the first year of his four-year contract paying $10.5 million annually, kicking in.
With a big contract, there’s a different kind of energy around Bouchard this season. Gone are the days of wondering, “What’s his potential?” We’re now asking, “Can he cement himself as one of the league’s best D-men?” With that in mind, let’s take a look at what a successful season could look like for the Oilers’ top-paid blueliner.
How Many Points Will Make Bouchard’s Season a Success?
In 2023–24,
Bouchard tallied 82 points in 81 games, and just typing that out is a reminder of how remarkable it is that the Oilers have a D-man capable of scoring over a point per game — gone are the days of a player like
Corey Potter being the most dangerous offensive threat from the blue line.
That said, Bouchard’s point total dipped last regular season, finishing with 67. Still, that total was good for fifth among blueliners in the NHL, and a successful campaign this upcoming season would see him climb into the 70–75 point range. The path to getting there? Fire more pucks on net on the power play.
In 2023–24, of Bouchard’s 82 points, 35 came on the power play (8G, 27A). However, his power-play points dropped to 26 (3G, 23A) last season. Additionally, comparing the two seasons, Bouchard’s shots per 60 minutes on the power play also fell from 12.45 to 10.25, which is reflected in the five fewer power-play goals he scored last season compared to the 2023-24 campaign.
Considering that, Bouchard shooting more in general, especially on the man advantage, will boost his point totals in addition to helping the power-play unit, which finished 12th last season. Adding to that, his usual defence partner, Mattias Ekholm, shares the same sentiment, having
said in a recent interview, “I try to tell him all the time, shoot the puck.” He added, “I’d like him to shoot it every chance he gets.”
Inch Closer to True #1 Defenceman Status
Last year, I deemed a
key factor in a successful season for Bouchard as “take a step toward becoming a complete D-man consistently.” This season, my expectations for him are a bit higher. With bigger achievements and a bigger pay cheque come bigger expectations, and while making $10.5 million a season, a successful campaign would see him inch closer to becoming a true #1 D-man in the NHL — one who plays big minutes, produces points, plays solid defensively, performs in critical situations, and excels against the game’s best players.
Without a doubt, Bouchard will produce points,
but refining his defensive game will be a key step toward becoming a true #1 D-man. He’s paid like one, after all, and perhaps increased minutes on the penalty kill this upcoming season could help with that, as it forces him to be extra sharp defensively.
Last regular season, the Oilers’ blueliner played a total of 19:10 minutes on the PK, averaging just under 15 seconds per game. Yet in the playoffs, he played 41:13 minutes on the PK in 22 games, averaging just under two minutes per game, which was a huge jump. That said, the signs point to him getting more responsibility on the PK unit this upcoming season,
as Bouchard said, “It keeps you involved in the game, it’s something that [involves] a lot of reads, and that’s something that I’m good at. It’s something that I definitely want to do this year.”
Mattias Ekholm complimented the growth of Evan Bouchard, including his two-way game.
:
@EdmontonOilers pic.twitter.com/jr8vHr4W5w
— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation)
September 22, 2025
On another note, his inching closer to becoming a true #1 D-man also involves cutting down on the big, egregious giveaways. Last season, the 25-year-old had the third most giveaways (128) in the NHL, according to
Natural Stat Trick. Yes, as an offensive blueliner trying to make plays, mistakes are going to happen. However, it’s the unforced ones that really frustrate Oilers fans, and dialling those back would be a clear sign of maturity in his game.
On the other hand, to spin a little positivity on Bouchard’s defensive game, last season, he posted a 59.28 CF% at 5v5. Moreover, according to
PuckIQ, he played 443 minutes against elite competition, posting a 57.40 CF% in those matchups. Meaning, even against top-tier opponents, his Corsi percentage barely dipped. It shows that, whether it’s star players or depth guys he’s playing against, he’s driving possession and forcing opponents to defend in their zone more often when he’s on the ice.
Additionally, his Viking D-partner, Ekholm, also pointed out the upside in Bouchard’s defensive game,
saying:
“I think the world of him as an offensive player, and I think he’s actually turning into a really good two-way defenceman. He’s playing on the penalty kill now, and he’s doing a lot of good things defensively as well. Obviously, mistakes are going to happen, but if there’s a fan club of Evan Bouchard, I’ll be the first one to sign up.”
If Bouchard can put up 70–75 points, tighten up defensively, cut down on the big turnovers, and continue playing well against the game’s elite, that’s the formula for becoming a legitimate #1 D-man. Those are big ifs, but
if he can pull all of the above off, Norris Trophy talks wouldn’t be out of the question either.
Keep Being a Playoff Beast for the Oilers
If you’ve kept up with
the series on what defines a successful season for individual Oilers, I haven’t touched much on the playoffs for the other players, but for Bouchard, I absolutely will. Considering everything above — the points, stepping up as a true #1 D-man, etc. — my take on the Oilers’ D-man is that while the regular season is part of the story, what counts most is a player’s performance in the playoffs, and as you know, Bouchard has been an absolute stud when the stakes are at their highest.
Over the last three regular seasons, Bouchard’s
189 points rank eighth among NHL D-men; however, his 72 points over the past three playoffs place him first, 40 points ahead of Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen, who sits second with 32. On top of that, he’s recorded several notable playoff achievements, including setting an NHL record for most assists (26) by a blueliner in a single playoff run in 2024 and becoming just the fourth D-man in NHL history to reach the 30-point plateau in one postseason, joining Hall of Famers
Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, and Brian Leetch.
Evan Bouchard added his name to a short NHL
#StanleyCup Playoffs list.
#NHLStats:
https://t.co/eSkBHXa8Cm pic.twitter.com/PYpSUAxvRa
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR)
June 1, 2024
On top of that, Bouchard has delivered in clutch playoff moments — remember
Game 4 against the Los Angeles Kings last playoffs when he picked off Quinton Byfield with the Oilers’ net empty, and buried the tying goal before Edmonton sealed it in O.T. Also, he’s scored six game-winners over the last few postseasons, proving he’s a one-of-a-kind clutch game-changer, and that’s where his ultimate success will come this season and beyond, when Bouchard is beastin’ in the postseason.
With that in mind, do you think Bouchard will take a step this upcoming season toward becoming a true #1 D-man in the NHL?
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