Oilers insider suggests specific demotion for Evan Bouchard
Photo credit: Perry Nelson - Imagn Images
Evan Bouchard's play of late has been such that analysts are debating whether head coach Kris Knoblauch should bench him, or at the very least, restrict his duties.
Analysts suggest sending Bouchard a strong message
Kris Knoblauch needed to bench him [Evan Bouchard].
You can't start him sitting down [on the bench]. I'd put Walman on the powerplay. Change it up.
There have been multiple opportunities that have been missed to absolutely fire a missile at this player's head and say, Snap out of it! I'm serious!
- hosts of GYB podcast
You can't start him sitting down [on the bench]. I'd put Walman on the powerplay. Change it up.
There have been multiple opportunities that have been missed to absolutely fire a missile at this player's head and say, Snap out of it! I'm serious!
- hosts of GYB podcast
Evan Bouchard has been the source of ongoing turnovers and costly mistakes, some even costing his team a win, like when the Oilers lost 4-3 to the Rangers in OT on a Bouchard cough-up.
Bouchard, Draisaitl, and McDavid were all left watching as J.T. Miller rush end-to-end to beat Stuart Skinner for the game-winning goal. It's become a common occurrence of late.
Following the Rangers' game, head coach Kris Knoblauch was asked about the possibility of benching Bouchard.
«We gotta hold all our players accountable, and there's a fine line on mistakes that periodically happen, because no player is going to play a perfect game and there's always going to be a mistake,» said Knoblauch. «But if there's accumulation of mistakes that are costing us regularly, then yes, we need to hold everyone accountable.
With Evan, you know, sometimes your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness...but when it's not working, it's costing with chances against. Usually, when turnovers are happening, a lot of times it's not moving your feet...when they're stationary and you're locked in one spot, it's a pretty fine line to execute a hard pass.»
With Evan, you know, sometimes your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness...but when it's not working, it's costing with chances against. Usually, when turnovers are happening, a lot of times it's not moving your feet...when they're stationary and you're locked in one spot, it's a pretty fine line to execute a hard pass.»
Well, there has been an accumulation of mistakes. Knoblauch didn't hesitate to bench Darnell Nurse in the game, who didn't play in the last two minutes of the first period, and the first six minutes of the second, and then scored two goals.
Perhaps it's time to consider the same for Evan Bouchard.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 31 | 540 ANSWERS Oilers insider suggests specific demotion for Evan Bouchard Should Kris Knoblauch bench Evan Bouchard, or restrict his ice-time instead? | ||
| bench him | 286 | 53 % |
| take him off the powerplay | 56 | 10.4 % |
| restrict his ice-time | 198 | 36.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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