Login
Login

Evan Bouchard

{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 1999)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox ice hockey biography

| name = Evan Bouchard

| image = Evan Bouchard.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Bouchard with the Bakersfield Condors in 2020

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|10|20}}

| birth_place = Oakville, Ontario, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 192

| position = Defence

| shoots = Right

| league = NHL

| team = Edmonton Oilers

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league =

| former_teams =

| ntl_team =

| draft = 10th overall

| draft_year = 2018

| draft_team = Edmonton Oilers

| career_start = 2018

| career_end =

}}

Evan Bouchard (born October 20, 1999) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bouchard was selected 10th overall by the Oilers in the 2018 NHL entry draft and is best known for his heavy slap shot (known as "the Bouch Bomb") from the blue line.

Playing career

=Junior=

Bouchard was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection by the London Knights.{{Cite news|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/evan-bouchard-2018-draft-value/|title=Evaluating Evan Bouchard (His 2018 NHL Draft Value)|date=March 2, 2018|work=The Hockey Writers|access-date=March 5, 2018}} He helped London capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup and 2016 Memorial Cup in his first year with the organization. Bouchard was named captain of the Knights for the 2017–18 OHL season.{{cite web|title=Knights name Evan Bouchard captain|url=http://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/knights-name-evan-bouchard-captain|website=ontariohockeyleague.com|access-date=March 8, 2018|date=January 12, 2018}} At the conclusion of the year, Bouchard was named a finalist for the Max Kaminsky Trophy as defenceman of the year and the Red Tilson Trophy as most valuable player of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).{{cite web|title=OHL Announces 2017-18 Awards Finalists|url=http://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/ohl-announces-2017-18-awards-finalists|website=ontariohockeyleague.com|access-date=April 5, 2018|date=April 4, 2018}}

=Professional=

File:Evan Bouchard - London Knights.jpg

Bouchard was selected in the first round, 10th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2018 NHL entry draft.{{cite web |last1=Matheson |first1=Jim |title=Edmonton Oilers take Evan Bouchard in first round of NHL Draft |url=https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/edmonton-oilers/edmonton-oilers-hold-10th-pick-in-first-round-of-nhl-draft |website=Edmonton Sun |access-date=June 22, 2018}} A few weeks later on July 17, 2018, the Oilers signed Bouchard to a three-year, entry-level contract.{{cite web |title=Oilers sign 2018 first-round draft pick Evan Bouchard |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/oilers-sign-2018-first-round-draft-pick-evan-bouchard/ |website=sportsnet.ca |access-date=July 18, 2018 |date=July 17, 2018}} On October 25, Bouchard became the youngest Oilers defenceman in history to record a goal when he scored in a 4–1 win over the Washington Capitals. He had turned 19 five days before the game.{{cite web |title=Evan Bouchard makes Oilers history in win over Capitals|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/evan-bouchard-makes-oilers-history-win-capitals/ |website=sportsnet.ca |access-date=October 26, 2018 |date=October 25, 2018}} After seven games with the Oilers, he was returned to the Knights on November 2.{{cite web |title=Oilers send defenceman Evan Bouchard to OHL Knights |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/oilers-send-defenceman-evan-bouchard-ohl-knights/ |website=Sportsnet |access-date=November 2, 2018}} Despite only skating in 45 games for the Knights during the 2018–19 season, Bouchard recorded 16 goals and 53 points. He added another 21 points in 11 games during the OHL postseason. On April 25, 2019, Bouchard was named the winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the league's top defenceman.{{cite web |title=Knights' Evan Bouchard Named OHL Defenceman of the Year |url=http://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/knights-evan-bouchard-named-ohl-defenceman-of-the-year |website=Ontario Hockey League |access-date=April 25, 2019}}

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on the American Hockey League (AHL), he spent part of the 2020–21 season with Södertälje SK of Sweden's HockeyAllsvenskan.{{cite news|title=Edmonton Oilers' Evan Bouchard back from Sweden and knocking on NHL door|url=https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/edmonton-oilers/edmonton-oilers-evan-bouchard-back-from-sweden-and-knocking-on-nhl-door |last=Matheson |first=Jim |newspaper=Edmonton Sun |access-date=June 7, 2022 |date=May 2, 2022}} He then joined the Oilers for the shortened regular season, though it was noted that he had some difficulty getting ice time despite solid play.{{cite news|title=The Edmonton Oilers Need to Find Playing Time for Evan Bouchard|url=https://puckprose.com/2021/03/13/oilers-need-find-playing-time-evan-bouchard/ |last=Pankiw |first=Colton |website=Puck Prose |access-date=June 7, 2022 |date=March 13, 2021}}

In the 2021–22 season, Bouchard solidified his place in the roster, managing 12 goals and 31 assists in 81 regular season games, pairing alongside former Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith, while also leading the team's second power play unit.{{cite news|title=Evan Bouchard: The Next Klefbom|url=https://oilonwhyte.com/2022/05/10/oilers-bouchard-next-klefbom/ |last=Truswell |first=Tanner |website=Oil on Whyte |access-date=June 7, 2022 |date=May 10, 2022}} 35 of his points came at even strength play, ranked 14th among NHL defencemen.{{cite web|title=Oilers regular season report card for 2021-22 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3287288/2022/05/02/oilers-regular-season-report-card/ |last=Mitchell |first=Allan |website=The Athletic |access-date=June 7, 2022 |date=May 2, 2022}} The Oilers qualified for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, making a deep run to the Western Conference final before losing to the Colorado Avalanche.{{cite web |title=Despite disappointing exit, Oilers learn valuable lessons from Avalanche |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/despite-disappointing-exit-oilers-learn-valuable-lessons-from-avalanche/ |last=Spector |first=Mark |website=Sportsnet |access-date=June 7, 2022 |date=June 7, 2022}}

On August 24, 2023 Bouchard signed a two-year, $7.8 million contract extension with an AAV of $3.9 million.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-24 |title=RELEASE: Oilers sign Bouchard to two-year extension {{!}} Edmonton Oilers |url=https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/release-oilers-sign-bouchard-to-two-year-extension-345650974 |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=www.nhl.com |language=en}}

On June 30, 2025 Bouchard singed a four-year, $42 million contract extension with an AAV of $10.5 million.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-30 |title=RELEASE: Oilers sign Bouchard to four-year contract extension {{!}} Edmonton Oilers |url=https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/release-oilers-sign-bouchard-to-four-year-contract-extension |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=www.nhl.com |language=en}}

International play

On December 3, 2018, Bouchard was loaned to Canada junior team to compete for a roster spot on their 2019 World Junior Championships team.{{cite web |title=Bouchard, Formenton, Foudy Named to team Canada Selection Camp |url=http://londonknights.com/article/bouchard-formenton-foudy-named-to-team-canada-selection-camp |website=londonknights.com |access-date=December 25, 2018 |date=December 3, 2018}} On December 25, Bouchard was named an alternate captain for Canada, along with Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Ian Mitchell, for the 2019 World Junior Championships.{{cite web |title=Ducks prospect Comtois named captain for Canada at World Juniors |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/max-comtois-named-canada-captain-for-world-junior-championship/c-303257050 |website=NHL.com |access-date=December 25, 2018 |date=December 25, 2018}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

2014–15

| Oakville Blades

| OJHL

| 1

0110

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2015–16

| London Knights

| OHL

| 43

2151724

| 10

0222
2016–17

| London Knights

| OHL

| 68

11334424

| 14

3476
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| London Knights

| OHL

| 67

25628754

| 4

1456
2018–19

| London Knights

| OHL

| 45

16375340

| 11

417216
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 7

1012

| —

————
2018–19

| Bakersfield Condors

| AHL

| —

————

| 8

3586
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| Bakersfield Condors

| AHL

| 54

7293642

| —

————
2020–21

| Södertälje SK

| Allsv

| 23

6111776

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2020–21

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 14

2352

| —

————
2021–22

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 81

12314328

| 16

3694
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 82

8324028

| 12

413174
2023–24

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 81

18648232

| 25

6263222
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2024–25

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 82

14536732

| 22

716238
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3"|NHL totals

! 347 !! 55 !! 183 !! 238 !! 124

! 75 !! 20 !! 61 !! 81 !! 38

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em;"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

2015

| Canada White

| U17

| {{gold1}}

| 6

1564
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016

| Canada

| IH18

| 5th

| 4

0000
2019

| Canada

| WJC

| 6th

| 5

0330
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4"|Junior totals

! 15 !! 1 !! 8 !! 9 !! 4

Awards and honours

class="wikitable"

! Awards

! Year

! Ref

colspan="3"|OHL
Max Kaminsky Trophy

| 2018–19

|

colspan="3"|AHL
All-Star Game

| 2020

| {{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/bracco-liljegren-added-to-all-star-roster |title=Bracco, Liljegren added to All-Star roster |publisher=American Hockey League |date=January 26, 2020 |access-date=February 1, 2020 |archive-date=January 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130165725/https://theahl.com/bracco-liljegren-added-to-all-star-roster |url-status=dead}}

NHL records

  • Most assists in one playoff year by a defenceman – 26 in 2024{{cite web |last1=Kerney |first1=Caleb |title=Evan Bouchard Shatters Paul Coffey Record |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/evan-bouchard-shatters-paul-coffey-record |website=The Hockey News |access-date=November 28, 2024 |date=June 20, 2024}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{Ice hockey stats}}
  • {{OHL profile|7103|Evan Bouchard}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-ach}}

{{succession box | before = Kailer Yamamoto | title = Edmonton Oilers first round draft pick | years = 2018 | after = Philip Broberg}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bouchard, Evan}}

Category:1999 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen

Category:Bakersfield Condors players

Category:Canadian ice hockey defencemen

Category:Edmonton Oilers draft picks

Category:Edmonton Oilers players

Category:Ice hockey people from Oakville, Ontario

Category:London Knights players

Category:NHL first-round draft picks

Category:Södertälje SK players