Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard has surprising response to being benched
Photo credit: Perry Nelson - Imagn Images
In a game the Oilers had to win at all costs, Evan Bouchard did his part once more, looking like his old self since he was benched against Columbus.
In that game, Bouchard took a bad first-period penalty, in which the Blue Jackets scored. Prior to the penalty, he'd also turned over the puck, due to poor positioning and a general lack of work-ethic in his game.
Coach benches star defenseman for laziness
«The penalty he took was retaliatory," head coach Kris Knoblauch said after the Columbus game, "and there have been a couple of those. I thought he played a strong first 10 minutes, but he sat because of that penalty. I didn't feel he was rattled by it and responded well. We need him to be one of our better players because he's a tremendous player.»
Well, Evan Bouchard did indeed respond, and has continued to respond right into the next game against Philadelphia.
After his time-out on the bench, Bouchard and his partner allowed only five shots against the rest of the game and finished strong with an assist.
And in the game against Philly, he scored a timely goal that allowed the Oilers to reach the extra-period, in which Jack Roslovic scored the OT winner, again.
The benching seems to have served as a wake-up call; that, and all of the publicity Bouchard he's received because of defensive lapses, to which he's been prone.
Throughout all of this negative attention, however, Bouchard has still been able to put up some decent numbers offensively, having scored 3G and 9A over 18 games.
If he can shore-up his defensive game, and produce like he can, he will certainly be earning his $10.5M cap hit.
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