'I've fallen in love': Ultimate Leafs homer praises Oilers d-man Bouchard
This in from the Toronto Sports Network, high praise for Edmonton Oilers d-man Evan Bouchard from a most astonishing source, the ultimate Leafs homer of the broadcast world, former Leafs player Jeff O'Neill.
Said O'Neill on a TSN segment with host Chris Haytes and former NHL goalie Jamie McLennan on their OverDrive show:
I got a bit of a crazy statement after watching last night and watching throughout the playoffs. And before the playoffs, you would have punched me as you could. I think the pecking order on D in the National Hockey League is one, Cale Makar and two Bouchard. Maybe it's recency bias, because all those other guys aren't playing, but I think he's that good man. I think he is unbelievable.'
Hayes objected, saying Bouchard has been phenomenal but he'd take Quinn Hughes of Vancouver over Bouchard.
Said O'Neill: 'If there was a little hut, an elite defenseman hut, and Quinn Hughes was in it, and Cale Makar and they opened up the door and said, 'Evan, come on in,' they would open the door and say, 'You're a member. Now, come and have a coffee.''
McLennan brought up a rancid turnover that Bouchard had made in a November game against Toronto. 'Bouchard comes around the net and rips it off McDavid ass. And I think after that, Toronto caught up, and Marner wanted an overtime. I think playoff Bouchard, that's different. What we're seeing is a guy who can play in all scenarios and doesn't get overwhelmed.'
Said O'Neill: 'I've fallen in love with the guy, man.'
My take
1. What's next Cathal Kelly proclaiming how much he loves the Oilers? Nick Kypreos and Bruce Arthur saying Connor McDavid should always be an Oiler?
2. I've been in that camp of Edmonton Oilers fans who has consistently and enthusiastically, year in, year out, good times and bad, admired what Evan Bouchard brings to the game. Before his breakout 82 point season in 2023-24, I predicted on Oilers Now he'd get 90 points. Long before others, I said he was the Oil's No. 1 d-man. In the playoffs last year, I recognized early on he'd taken his game to an entirely new level of excellence. As he struggled this year with an outbreak of rancid turnovers, I continued to argue he was a big game player and should be on Team Canada at the Four Nations Cup.
3. I'm here to tell you right now that O'Neill is right, that Bouchard has yet again taken his game to a new level, that he's improved on his 2024 playoff performance and is playing at his highest level of even strength efficiency ever, all the while running Edmonton's brilliant power play while coming on in the Los Angeles series to settle down their penalty kill, someone no one predicted or expected, save for maybe Kris Knoblauch and Paul Coffey, who bet on Bouchard on the PK.
4. Why have I been so bullish on Bouchard all these years, and able to call out his play for what it's been: good-to-outstanding. It's all in the numbers, specifically the Grade A shots data we've compiled at the Cult of Hockey for 15 years. We've done video review of every Grade A shot for and against the Oilers in that time to see which players are responsible for Grade A shots for and which players make mistakes on Grade A shots against. What became clear early on was that Bouchard more than any other Oil d-man we'd ever seen was able to create Grade A shots. His defence was average at best in his early years, but he was Grade A shot-producing monster.
5. What's changed since then is that Bouchard in the playoffs has take his defensive game top a new level of success, while amping up his passing game even more. He's not quite at the defensive level of excellence we saw from Kris Russell and Adam Larsson in their Oilers primes, but he's become a good-to-great positional defensive d-man, not any kind of Big Bobby Clobber cycle-buster, but a d-man who almost always makes the right reads, keeps his body between his check and the Oilers net, responsibly guards his spot in the Oilers zone defence, and gets the puck out of trouble fast when he wins it back.
6. Does Bouchard still make some bad passes? For sure. That's going to happen when you've so often got the puck on your stick. Does he make some bad reads? Yes, but not any more than other d-man and what's become a strong Oilers defensive corp.
7. O'Neill is right. Bouchard is now the second or third best d-man in the NHL after Makar and maybe Hughes. And the next person to say Bouchard shouldn't be on Team Canada in the coming Olympic games should never speak in public about hockey again.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
How did Red Sox' Tanner Houck fare in first rehab start with WooSox?
The last time Tanner Houck took the mound in a game, he was tagged for 11 earned runs in just 2 ⅓ innings in a disastrous outing against the Tigers. He was then placed on the injured list with a right flexor pronator strain two days later. Wednesday, then, represented a step forward. Houck, making his first rehab start for the WooSox at Polar Park, allowed a run and two hits while walking a batter in 1+ innings against Buffalo on Wednesday. He pitched into the second inning and threw 32 pitches (18 strikes). The line wasn't eye-popping but the fact Houck was pain-free (he previously acknowledged he was dealing with arm issues since spring training) was significant. Advertisement 'Good to be back,' Houck said. 'Good to be out there competing. All in all, the wind-up was definitely really good today in terms of how I was feeling. Felt in sync. The stretch was a little stiff. '(Not feeling any pain or stiffness), which is definitely a step in the right direction compared to before,' Houck said. 'I felt like I was able to execute the slider with a good shape, good velocity.' Pitching against three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, who was rehabbing for Toronto's Triple-A affiliate, Houck got two ground balls to start his outing, then allowed back-to-back singles to Nathan Lukes and Joey Loperfido before retiring Riley Tirotta to end the frame. In the second, Houck issued a leadoff walk, then was lifted. The run Houck was charged with scored when Isaac Coffey let the inherited runner come in. Houck said his next rehab start will come Tuesday with the WooSox at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, then he could have a third outing the following Sunday (June 29). At that point, there's a chance he could be ready to re-join Boston's rotation. Advertisement When he does return, he could have a new pitch in his arsenal, too. The Red Sox are actively looking for tweaks after Houck pitched to an abysmal 8.04 ERA in nine starts (43 ⅔ innings). 'For the first one back, being able to get the two ups, and in terms of pitch shapes, I like where everything's at now. It's just continue to go there,' Houck said. 'I think first and foremost (the goal) is continue to feel good,' he added. 'But ultimately just continue to to get the shapes right. Location is obviously very key. Working on, like, a little cutter as well. So there's just a few tweaks. Especially my delivery, my delivery early on wasn't very in sync. Ultimately, as long as I can kind of keep the movement (in my delivery) small and very connected, that's kind of where I'm aiming for and just that feel back.' More Red Sox coverage Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Panthers Receive Unfortunate Update on Sam Bennett Future
Panthers Receive Unfortunate Update on Sam Bennett Future originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Florida Panthers are fully focused on winning the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. Florida is currently tied 1-1 with Edmonton in the series, as Games 3 and 4 get set to begin. Advertisement But behind the scenes, the front office of the Panthers is preparing for a massive offseason. Florida has some key free agents about to hit the market, and it could impact how the roster looks next season. One of those players is star center Sam Bennett, who has been putting together a special run in the postseason this year. Bennett has scored 13 goals and put in six assists over 19 playoff games for Florida this season. Most around the NHL believe Bennett will stay in Florida, but anytime a player hits free agency, things can get complicated. NHL insiders Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston of The Athletic hint that there is a chance Bennett departs from the Panthers this summer. "While Bennett is believed to have strong interest in signing a new deal with the Panthers, the unprecedented nature of his situation could lead to a difficult business decision in the next few weeks. The 28-year-old is fresh off his first career 50-point regular season but has shown tremendous value in the playoffs that will see him paid well beyond your typical 50-point producer.", the NHL insiders wrote. Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) reacts after scoring a goal against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers ...Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images Bennett has been a massive part of the Panthers' success over the years. The team would love to keep the veteran around, but business sometimes gets in the way of things. Advertisement For now, Bennett is keen on helping this team win another title. But once the Stanley Cup Final ends, his free agency will then become very interesting. Related: Maple Leafs Gearing Up For Surprising Run at Panthers' Brad Marchand: Report This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Associated Press
White Sox bring 1-0 series lead over Blue Jays into game 2
Chicago White Sox (24-52, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (40-35, third in the AL East) Toronto; Saturday, 3:07 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: White Sox: Aaron Civale (1-3, 4.67 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 23 strikeouts); Blue Jays: Jose Berrios (2-3, 3.81 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 76 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Blue Jays -213, White Sox +176; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago White Sox play the Toronto Blue Jays with a 1-0 series lead. Toronto has a 40-35 record overall and a 24-15 record in home games. Blue Jays hitters have a collective .324 on-base percentage, the eighth-best percentage in MLB play. Chicago has a 24-52 record overall and an 8-31 record on the road. The White Sox have a 17-10 record in games when they out-hit their opponents. The matchup Saturday is the second time these teams meet this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Bo Bichette has 19 doubles, a triple, 10 home runs and 45 RBIs while hitting .278 for the Blue Jays. Ernie Clement is 17 for 43 with four doubles and a home run over the last 10 games. Chase Meidroth has five doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs for the White Sox. Andrew Benintendi is 10 for 38 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jays: 5-5, .274 batting average, 5.93 ERA, outscored by 13 runs White Sox: 2-8, .221 batting average, 4.69 ERA, outscored by 18 runs INJURIES: Blue Jays: Alan Roden: day-to-day (knee), Myles Straw: day-to-day (ankle), Bowden Francis: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Daulton Varsho: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Anthony Santander: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Yimi Garcia: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Max Scherzer: 60-Day IL (thumb), Ryan Burr: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alek Manoah: 60-Day IL (elbow), Angel Bastardo: 60-Day IL (elbow) White Sox: Cam Booser: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Davis Martin: 15-Day IL (forearm), Mike Tauchman: day-to-day (groin), Jared Shuster: 15-Day IL (hand), Fraser Ellard: 60-Day IL (lat), Ky Bush: 60-Day IL (elbow), Miguel Castro: 60-Day IL (knee), Jonathan Cannon: 15-Day IL (back), Martin Perez: 60-Day IL (forearm), Drew Thorpe: 60-Day IL (elbow), Prelander Berroa: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jesse Scholtens: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
