Oilers defenseman positioned for best offensive season since Coffey.

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Ryan Hall
September 5, 2023 (12:48)

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As the summer of 2023 fades into memory and training camp looms just weeks away, the Edmonton Oilers and their fan base are brimming with excitement for the upcoming season, slated to commence in October. The Oilers have successfully wrapped up their summer business, which included signing restricted free agent Evan Bouchard to a two-year contract extension worth $7.8 million.

General manager Ken Holland had assured Oil Country that Bouchard would be retained through a bridge deal, and that is precisely what has come to fruition, satisfying both parties.

Bouchard has been steadily evolving into an elite offensive talent for the Oilers, evident in his performance leading to this contract extension. During his twelve playoff games, he tallied four goals and 13 assists, accumulating a total of 17 points with four penalty minutes. Over his last two seasons, he played 81 and 82 games, amassing 83 points in 163 games.

The 23-year-old, standing at 6 foot 3 tall and weighing 194 pounds, was drafted 10th overall in the first round in 2018. Bouchard also brings a physical dimension to the game, providing the Oilers with a defensive edge. With all these attributes in play, it appears highly likely that Bouchard is poised for a breakout offensive season since legendary offensive defenseman Paul Coffey led the charge.

As he is not expected to become the next Paul Coffey, to put Coffey's achievements into perspective, he played 1409 games, scoring 396 goals and notching 1135 assists for a total of 1531 points. He boasted a +298 rating, accumulated 1802 penalty minutes, and contributed 664 power-play points.

While acknowledging that Coffey's era was different from the present, the Oilers are in full win-now mode, placing their chips squarely on the table. It is expected that Bouchard will lead the offensive charge from the blue line and, hopefully, surpass the 50-point mark or even exceed it this season.