The Edmonton Oilers didn't agree with the PWHA snubbing Evan Bouchard as a finalist in the Norris Trophy voting this season. As such, they sent a little message to make sure they knew. The Oilers’ 2025–26 season ended in disappointment with an early playoff exit, despite a fantastic season from Bouchard, who recorded a career-high 95 points and led all NHL defensemen in scoring. Despite his offensive dominance and a strong +25 rating, Bouchard was left off the Norris Trophy finalist list. Instead, it was Rasmus Dahlin, Zach Werenski, and Cale Makar who were named as the three finalists. “When I saw that come out, I was definitely upset a little bit. But you can’t really let that bother you,” Bouchard told TSN Overdrive [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSan8B-ouWY] this week. The omission sparked widespread reaction from fans and media, with different opinions. Some thought it was an obvious snub, while others took the opportunity to bash Bouchard for some of his defensive gaffes throughout the season. Others said this was such a tight race with so many good defensemen who could have been in the running, it's not surprise big names were left off. Either way, the Oilers' social media team had a little fun, posting a video highlight reel of all the times Bouchard made it look like he should have been a shoo-in for a nomination.
