I would much rather pay Leon Draisaitl $20m than keep Bouchard at anything more than $4m per.
This guy is going to be one of the most overpaid players in the league and the Oilers will be the ones to mess this up...again! I really do not understand how he has come this far with such a low hockey IQ.
-He passes when there is no lane,
-He can't hit the tape with his passes (go watch film...the receiving player has to reach for it almost every time),
-He can't keep the puck in the zone,
He scrambles in his own corner, not sure whether he fights on the wall or returns to the front...so he ends up just standing in the middle (and Ekholm does 1/2 of Bouchard's job),
-even on the source of most of his assists, when he leaves the puck behind for McDavid to enter the 0-zone, McDavid has to change his course to pick up the puck that is not in his path
-players look him off regularly, as if they do not trust him with the puck (again, go watch film...he's there, willing and ready, but his line-mates often choose the second option rather than pass to him.
-he shoots the puck into the penalty killer ALL THE TIME. This happens far to often.
-an NHL defenseman should not bobble the puck as much as he does, it's strange actually...as if he has no confidence at all.
-yes, he has a rocket of a slapper, but how many times has he hit his own player with it? this definitely happens, but it happens far too often with this player...he just does not think.
Whoever said he would be a Norris candidate is simply looking at a stats page (mostly 2nd assists on the PP).
The most overrated player in the league right now. I don't even think I'd keep him around at $2m, his play (among a few others) is what is ruining the Oilers. You don't win with dumb hockey...and he's a dumb player.
