Could the Oilers Trade Evan Bouchard This Summer?

If Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard doesn't agree to a bridge deal for his next contract, there's speculation about if the team should trade him.

Evan Bouchard will be seeking a raise coming off his entry-level contract after reaching the 40-point plateau for the second straight season. However, there's speculation that the 23-year-old Edmonton Oilers defenseman could become a trade candidate this summer.

Bouchard struggled through the first half of this season. However, his performance improved after being placed alongside trade-deadline acquisition Mattias Ekholm, netting 19 points in as many games to close out the regular season.

Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli recently discussed Bouchard's next contract with Tyler Yaremchuk on Oilersnation Everyday. He doesn't see a path for a long-term deal for Bouchard, given the Oilers' salary-cap limitations. CapFriendly indicates they're carrying a projected $8.5 million in cap space with 15 players under contract for 2023-24.

The Oilers could prefer a bridge contract for Bouchard. Seravalli speculated they could offer up a two-year deal worth an annual cap hit of $3.5 million or $4.5 million, with the potential for a more lucrative long-term deal down the road. However, he didn't rule out the possibility of the Oilers trading Bouchard this summer if the blueliner refuses a bridge contract.

Negotiations between the two sides would have to go well off the rails to reach that point. Coming off an entry-level contract, Bouchard lacks arbitration rights. His only leverage is withholding his services next season should the two sides fail to reach an agreement.

The Oilers' limited salary-cap space could make Bouchard a tempting target for an offer sheet from a rival club, assuming the young defenseman is willing to sign one. Such deals are rarely made and have been matched in all but two cases since the implementation of the salary cap in 2005.