Despite the massive contract extension, don't include Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman in the group of people who believe Evan Bouchard got overpaid this offseason.
In fact, the Oilers' GM is firmly defending the decision to sign Bouchard to a four-year, $10.5 million per season extension, pushing back against critics who question the blueliner’s value.
Bowman: Bouchard "Takes Way Too Much Criticism"
Speaking on the 100% Hockey podcast, Bowman emphasized Bouchard’s significant impact on the team and dismissed the notion that the contract was a mistake.
“I think he takes way too much criticism,” Bowman said. “He doesn’t make more mistakes than others—his just get magnified for some reason.”
The biggest knock on Bouchard is his inconsistency in his own zone, specifically with the alarming and dangerous turnovers that come a handful of times each season. Bowman responded to that critique and said, "Yeah, he has turnovers, but so does everybody… It’s just weird. " He added, "For some reason, his seemed to get magnified. But he does so many amazing things with our group.”
Bouchard Isn't Perfect, But He's Being Paid Like He Should Be Close
The issue for Bouchard moving forward is that there's little to no room for error. When a player gets this kind of bump in salary (and bump is putting it lightly), there are expectations. For Bouchard, that goes beyond getting points. It means being more dependable and all season.
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At the very least, the number of times that happens in a season needs to go way down.
Again, he'll have to prove to Oilers Nation that he's worth every penny.
The 2025-26 season will be a critical opportunity for Bouchard to show the organization didn't make a mistake. He needs to stand out as Edmonton’s top defenseman and prove that Bowman’s confidence is well placed.
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