Oilers coach rips Evan Bouchard after critical mistake and benching
Photo credit: Edmonton Oilers Raw
Evan Bouchard played an ugly game for the Edmonton Oilers last night, and heard the criticism of Coach Knoblauch afterwards.
Bouchard made an atrocious giveaway that led to the first Islanders goal against, and it didn't get much better for him as the game went on. Bouchard looked out of the game mentally, and was eventually parked on the bench for a few shifts.
Oilers coach Knoblauch doesn't hold back on Evan Bouchard error
Coach Knoblauch defended his player by recognizing that Bouchard can be so much better than his effort last night, but also that his results were unacceptable. He needed to miss a few shifts to reset after his gaffes.
I've seen Evan play better. We cannot just accept that. Mistakes happen, but you have to address what types of mistakes are happening.
- Coach Knoblauch
- Coach Knoblauch
And of course, Bouchard himself knows those kinds of defensive mistakes are ugly. He himself recognized that he needs to find a way to eliminate his tendency for these glaring turnovers.
When it's not going my way, I've got to find a way to obviously make different plays.
- Evan Bouchard
- Evan Bouchard
Oilers fans have seen Bouchard at his best, and he can be one of the top offensive defenders in the NHL. When the stakes are highest in the playoffs, he's routinely raised his game to make a major impact.
These regular season turnovers are ugly mistakes that come because Bouchard has the freedom to make skill plays - but some just shouldn't be tried. Bouchard broke a classic rule and tried to get too cute with a deke as the last-man back.
It's an unacceptable mistake, but Bouchard is much better than his worst moment. Hopefully this is an early wake-up call for him, and he shows up better tomorrow vs the New Jersey Devils.
TRENDING NOW
