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Edmonton Oilers End Evan Bouchard’s Overseas Loan to Sweden

The Edmonton Oilers have recalled defenseman Evan Bouchard from his loan to Sodertalje of the Allsvenskan in Sweden.

As teams learn about the new pending NHL start date of January 13th and clubs begin preparing for NHL training camps, organization who have players out on loan will begin to recall their loaned prospects who are currently overseas. Among them are the Edmonton Oilers who have called on Evan Bouchard.

Related: Oilers Will Likely Lose Strong Forward in Seattle Expansion Draft

The offensively-gifted prospect defenseman was on loan to Sodertalje of the Allsvenskan in Sweden and was playing quite well with six goals and 17 points in 23 games. But, the Oilers want him back to camp as he has a legitimate shot of making the NHL team in 2020-21.

That Bouchard was being recalled was announced on Saturday and Bouchard, along with Ottawa Senators goaltender Filip Gustavsson will leave the Swedish club, officially ending their loan agreements.

Bouchard Has a Bright Future With the Oilers

Bouchard recently talked about his experience in Sweden and working on his defensive game on the bigger ice surface. All of that learning should translate over to a better shot at the Oilers roster, where he’s hoping to at least be a seventh defenseman.

The tenth-overall pick back in 2018, Bouchard has offensive gifts that the Oilers see as critically important to their long-term success. The fact that he was second among defensemen and in the top-20 league-wide while on loan and before leaving on Saturday is a testament to what he might be able to do this coming season. 

It’s possible he doesn’t make the Oilers team and winds up on a taxi squad. That said, Oilers GM Ken Holland and head coach Dave Tippett seem to be putting him in a position where it’s his spot to lose. If he comes in and impresses, this could be the season he makes his mark on the NHL team and never looks back.

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