Bouchard’s Costly Effort Forcing Oilers’ Hand After Loss to Blues

The Edmonton Oilers might finally have reached their breaking point with Evan Bouchard. After another defensive lapse directly led to the St. Louis Blues’ game-winning goal, questions about accountability behind the bench are growing louder. In fact, they are so loud that head coach Kris Knoblauch may have no choice but to react.

Failure to address this issue should put the coach on the hot seat.

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Knoblauch has stood by his young defenceman through miscues before, but Monday night feels different. The calls for Bouchard to sit are no longer whispers, and the players on his team, all of whom are watching Bouchard go consequence-free, are picking up bad habits.

With 1:23 remaining in the third period, the Oilers were desperately trying to hold onto a game that had slipped away. Up 2-0, the Blues stormed back to make it 2-2, and in the last minute, it became clear the Blues were the hungrier team, having lost seven straight coming in. The Oilers appeared content to get to overtime. The Blues wanted the regulation win. Bouchard actually got out of the way of a shot from the point, then failed to box out or lift the stick of a smaller Blues forward who buried the rebound.

While multiple Oilers made errors on the sequence — including Jack Roslovic not getting in the shooting lane near the point, lack of back pressure, and Calvin Pickard’s inability to control the rebound — Bouchard’s effort stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Bouchard Won’t Make a Sacrifice To Win

Jason Strudwick, on the Got Yer’ Back podcast, didn’t mince words. He accused Bouchard of “getting out of the way” of the shot because ‘it hurts to block shots,’ saying teammates notice when a player won’t sell out for the group. He joked it would be one thing if it were the first period, but in the dying moments of a tie game, that kind of selfishness can’t happen.

Meanwhile, Sports 1440’s Kevin Karius added that Bouchard “didn’t even try to make a play,” calling the lapse worse than his recent gaffes versus the New York Rangers. After that game, Bouchard was raked over the coals by fans and asked about his struggles by the media. Bouchard said it was something he would have to work on. Monday’s bailout suggests he’s doing the opposite.

Bouchard’s offensive talent has never been in question — but his defensive habits have cost the Oilers valuable points this season. With frustration building, many believe it’s now on coach Knoblauch to send a message. Whether that means reduced minutes or a one-game benching, something has to happen.

The Oilers play the Dallas Stars tonight in a back-to-back situation. If Edmonton doesn’t reduce Bouchard’s minutes or send a message, it will be clear that the Oilers never will.

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