EDMONTON — Evan Bouchard has heard the criticism about his often-costly defensive miscues, so the Edmonton Oilers defenceman plans to simplify that part of his game, saying the change should not impact his already elite-level offensive skills. Bouchard led all NHL defenceman in scoring last season with 21 goals and 95 points while playing all 82 games. Despite the criticism from local fans and media about his defensive play, the 26-year-old from Oakville, Ont., finished with a positive plus-minus rating of 25. Asked early in training camp what areas he’s looking to improve upon this season, Bouchard addressed the criticism directly. “Keeping the puck out of the net when I’m out there,” he said. “I think the offence will come, but most importantly focus on the defensive side of things first.” To get there, Bouchard said he has work to do on that part of his game. “I think a lot of it’s not letting those mistakes pile up,” he said. “Making the simple play, not always going for the home run play. I think I was caught doing that quite a bit last year, so I think if I cannot dumb it down, but simplify it a little bit, it’ll help things.” Hired this summer after the Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch, new head coach Mike Babcock said there are some things he’s seen that he and Bouchard will talk about. “Well, he’s good. That’s what I know so far,” said Babcock. “The great thing about Bouch is that he’s open, honest, straightforward and he’s easy to talk to. “He’s not one of those guys where you talk to him and suddenly he’s worried about his game.” Team captain Connor McDavid says that, for whatever reason, Bouchard doesn’t get the credit he deserves. “He’s a special, special player,” McDavid said after Monday’s practice. “He’s asked to do everything. He plays big minutes, plays on the penalty kill, five-on-five, the power play … he’s a leader in that room. “Everyone wants to comment on the boo-boos, but he makes a thousand great plays. It’s the little details that people miss. He’s a great player and we’re lucky to have him here.” Bouchard played much of last season alongside veteran Mattias Ekholm, but through most of camp Babcock has tried Bouchard with other partners, including Ryan Shea, signed as a free agent this summer to a five-year US$20-million contract. General manager Stan Bowman said he sees Bouchard’s game getting better this season alongside Shea, whom he believes is a vital cog in the team’s defensive play. “As far as Evan goes, I think his performance the last few seasons was outstanding,” said Bowman. “He’s really reaching that age where he’s probably just coming into his best years. I think these next few years for Evan are going to be huge. The sky’s the limit.” Bowman said that much of the defensive criticism comes because Bouchard’s defensive mistakes get magnified, often leading to good scoring chances for the opposition. “If I mention the name Evan Bouchard you think of power play, you think of his shot, you think of his passing. He’s become a very effective defender as well, used in all situations. You can’t play 25 minutes a game if you’re being sheltered defensively.” The Oilers gave up 269 goals last season — only eight teams surrendered more. So Bowman made some significant defensive changes, trading away 12-year Oilers defenceman Darryl Nurse and bringing in Shea and Shakir Mukhamadullin (in the Nurse trade to San Jose). Nurse had a minus-13 defensive rating last season, but he also played an average of more than 22 minutes a game throughout his career. “It’s definitely going to be a hard piece to fill with Darnell,” said Bouchard. “He’s got the whole package. He’s big, he can skate, he’s a leader in the room, he’s vocal in the room. That’s hard to come by. “So yeah, we’re definitely going to miss him, but with that being said, I think the management has done a good job of picking up players. (Shea) on the back end, (Mukhamadullin) on the back end. I think they’re going to be good additions to the group and they’re going to fit in very well here.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2026. John Korobanik, The Canadian Press
