Oilers on the clock for decision on Bouchard
Rookie blue-liner says he’s learning more while playing against NHLers
Tenth overall draft pick Evan Bouchard played his sixth game for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. So, yes, the clock is ticking, because if he plays more than nine games, the first year of his three-year entry-level deal kicks in.
Heading into the Penguins game, Bouchard, who turned 19 last Saturday, looks more like he’s surviving than thriving, with the Oilers carefully monitoring his ice time (13 minutes and change).
All good, but is he playing well enough to keep him here, or should the team send him back to junior in London, where they have a Memorial Cup-calibre team under coach Dale Hunter. Also, in London, Bouchard will be tasked with playing 25-30 minutes a night. He’ll have to conserve his energy and play, perhaps, at a slower pace?
“He’s had some really strong moments in games, where he looks really poised and makes tremendous passes,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan, who’s only sat the rookie down once.
“He’s learning lessons, like a lot of 19-year-old defencemen do in this league when they enter. Nicklas Lidstrom, Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, all were 19 in the league at one point. So some really good stuff from Evan, some stuff he needs to work on, but he’s getting that information. He’s a pretty good student and he works on things he needs to.”
Bouchard is trying to soak it all in, whether it’s Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Taylor Hall or Patrice Bergeron on the other side.
“The big thing for me is the size of the players. If you’re watching on TV, they don’t look too big, but all the players (NHL) are strong and protect the puck really well,” said Bouchard. “I’ve had to be stronger on sticks and in the corners.
“NHLers make plays when you don’t think they can make them, too. The five-foot give-and-go plays, you really have to know where everybody else is all the time.”
Even with half the ice time he’d be getting in junior, Bouchard figures he can learn enough to stick here.
“Even just practicing, getting used to the tempo, you’re playing against pros,” said Bouchard. “It’s different (playing a lot fewer minutes), but that just means you have to focus that much more on every single NHL shift. Whether it’s five or 13 minutes, doesn’t matter. And, I’m trying to work on skating faster to get back for pucks, so I get a little extra time to make a play.”
SCRATCHED
Jujhar Khaira undoubtedly could read the tea leaves (English breakfast or herbal) before McLellan told him he was going to be a healthy scratch for the Pittsburgh Penguins. No points in six games, minus-4, just two shots on net, and three games playing under 10 minutes.
The Oilers winger who established himself as a top-nine forward last season has struggled through the first three weeks of the NHL season. He’s much better than he’s shown, so a night off probably won’t hurt, although it’s a night when Crosby and Malkin come to town, so the timing isn’t great.
“It’s not from lack of effort and there’s no tougher individual on JJ than JJ himself,” said McLellan. “He has to take a night, take a deep breath. The pace of decision-making and execution has to be faster. It’s not his legs, but the polish has to better. His confidence level is lower than it was last year, when he was handling the puck better and making plays quicker.”
FAMILY FLY-IN
Cooper Marody’s mom, dad and younger brother all flew in from their home in Michigan to see their boy’s first NHL game, playing on a line with Ryan Strome and Milan Lucic. A sister, who attends Lake Erie College, couldn’t make it.
“She’s got school and she’s got a horse (to look after),” said Marody, who was acquired in March from Philadelphia for a third-round 2018 draft pick, the selection they got from New Jersey when they dealt Patrick Maroon to the Devils in late February.
McLellan doesn’t think kids get as nervous playing their first NHL game as they did back in the day.
“They all seem to come in with a lot of courage and they play their game. There’s not as much fear or intimidation from veterans or opponents,” said McLellan.
SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR
Kevin Gravel got his first regular-season look with the Oilers after being sent to Bakersfield fairly early in camp. He was paired with rookie Evan Bouchard. Gravel played against the Penguins twice when he was with Los Angeles, so he wasn’t a newbie to Nos. 87 or 71. Well, sort of.
“To be honest I wasn’t out there much against them,” said Gravel.
“(Drew) Doughty get that job?” he was asked.
“Yup,” said Gravel.
THIS ’N’ THAT
Oilers winger Alex Chiasson will likely get his Stanley Cup ring as a member of last season’s Washington Capitals before the Thursday game here. His name’s already on the Cup for at least the next 65 years … Ace Swedish hockey scribe Uffe Bodin, who was here for several weeks last season writing Oilers/NHL stories, is currently shepherding 25 fans from across his country to watch the Oilers play Nashville, Pittsburgh and Washington. The fans also saw the Oil Kings play Kootenay last weekend. “All hockey nerds,” Bodin said with laugh … Nail Yakupov has been terrific with St. Petersburg in the KHL. He has seven goals and 11 points in 14 games, as he tries to work his way back to the NHL.