Evan Bouchard Chewed Out By Coach Paul Coffey For Nearing a Terrible NHL Record

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Liam McCormick
November 20, 2024 (2:55 PM)

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Evan Bouchard was on his way to breaking an NHL record for shot attempts blocked, until Coach Paul Coffey chewed him out and got him to change course.

Oilers analyst Louie DeBrusk shared the story between Bouchard and Coffey on a recent podcast, saying that the team was aware of the record and wanted Bouchard to change course.

Evan Bouchard has an absolute weapon of a slap shot, which contributed to him scoring an incredible 18 goals last season.

Part of his success last year was incredible shot selection, and the patience to walk the blue line to find an opening to the net.

Bouchard hasn't had that same success so far this year, perhaps due to shot selection and the Oilers overall offensive decline, but Bouchard leading the league in shot attempts blocked was a troubling trend.

Firing a puck into an opponent's shin pad can lead to breakaway chances the other way and completely stifles zone offence, so it's great to see Coffey notice the trend and make sure Bouchard gets the message.

Bouchard's patented slap shot, the Bouch Bomb, is a weapon of a shot that needs to get through to the net.

Bouchard has been off to a rough start this season, being called out several times for poor defensive efforts, and his offensive production has fallen with the rest of the team.

With a skilled defenceman like Bouchard, some turnovers and mistakes are inevitable. However, his offensive contributions far outweigh the defensive drawbacks.

Bouchard is a rare talent as an elite right-shot offensive defenceman, and the Oilers are incredibly fortunate to have him.

Paul Coffey is the perfect mentor as someone who had real experience in Bouchard's role, as an Oilers defender playing with generationally talented forwards.

When the entire Oilers roster gets their offensive game going again, which is bound to happen, Bouchard will be a major piece of its success.