Oilers Pundit Claims Evan Bouchard Needs to “Figure it Out” – The Hockey Writers Edmonton Oilers Latest News, Analysis & More

The Edmonton Oilers haven’t avoided criticism this season as they look to make another deep playoff run after coming up short of their first Stanley Cup since 1990 last season. Depending on who you ask, the biggest issue with the team heading toward the 2025 Trade Deadline differs.

Some people believe it’s the lack of consistent goaltending from Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, some believe it could be a lack of forward depth, and some believe it could be a lack of strong defensive depth, but either way, fans agree that the team needs to improve if they want to win a championship. One player who has faced plenty of criticism this season is defender Evan Bouchard, who was recently called out by pundit Mark Spector, claiming Bouchard needs to “figure it out” in his recent article that put the youngster on blast. 

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In the article which seemed to call Bouchard out for “not being a pro”, Spector drilled home the idea that Bouchard’s consistency is an issue. “It’s time to be good all the time, not just most of the time….time to be a pro” Spector said, alluding to Bouchard’s play being stronger in the offensive zone than the defensive zone, where many fans have called out his blunders that have led directly to goals against. Spector mentioned that the analytics crowd may have chosen Bouchard as Team Canada’s captain at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, but his recent play has cost him a chance of even being selected as a replacement for the injured Alex Pietrangelo. 

Spector made sure to give Bouchard credit for being one of the Oilers’ key performers in last season’s playoffs, touching on his ability to produce offensively and help lead the team to the Stanley Cup Final. However, he also touched on the fact that nobody in the NHL shoots as hard as often as Bouchard does, but, somehow, he doesn’t have a power-play goal this season. Bouchard being put on blast brings attention to his defensive inconsistencies that have been rightfully called into question all season, and it’s something he needs to figure out if the Oilers want to make a deep run into the postseason. 

Bouchard’s Next Contract Shouldn’t Come Close to Double Digits Annually 

Bouchard could be looking for a massive raise on his next contract and considering he is a pending restricted free agent (RFA), the Oilers may look to lock him up sooner rather than later. Speculation has begun to grow that he could surpass $10 million annually with fans defending his offensive dominance as the main reason why they should pay him what he wants. However, as touched on by Spector, his defensive inconsistency is an issue, so the Oilers should tread carefully if his asking price is ridiculous. I firmly believe the Oilers should gauge the trade market for Bouchard, but that’s a conversation for another day. 

Regardless, the Oilers will have to make some tough decisions on their roster after the 2024-25 season. Spector was spot-on in bringing up the inconsistencies in Bouchard’s game, and, surprisingly, it took so long for someone else with a strong reputation to call him out for it. As he said, it’s time for Bouchard to figure it out and become a pro, before it’s too late. After the Oilers lost two players to offer sheets last season, it’s fair to assume the team doesn’t want to take any risks this time around. They will either try and lock him up at a fair price, or offer him to another team if the price is way too high, rather than lose him for a couple of draft picks.

As the 2024-25 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.