Evan Bouchard, Oilers Agree To Four-Year Extension

Evan Bouchard, Oilers Agree To Four-Year Extension

Evan Bouchard was always the Oilers’ #1 priority this offseason. However, they can cross it off the list. Their star defenseman is going nowhere after signing a four year extension. They had to pay up, and they did with a whopping $10.5 million AAV. Many outlets, including Frank Seravalli reported it earlier this evening:

Confirming: #Oilers and D Evan Bouchard have reached an extension – 4 years x $10.5 million.

Price to get to eight years was a stretch Edmonton couldn't commit to at this juncture.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 30, 2025

He is a top-pairing defenseman and knew a lot of greenbacks were gonna come his way. As a right hander he must have loved to see Noah Dobson get a nice payday in Montreal. Bouchard is just in a different league. One of the best offensive defensemen at only 25 and an absolute rocket on the powerplay:

Evan Bouchard, signed 4x$10.5M by EDM, is a high-end offensive defenceman who moves the puck very well, has a deadly shot, and tilts the ice no matter who he plays with despite his propensity for the odd bone-headed error. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/wmOxq3iEnY

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 30, 2025

In the past two seasons, he has 149 points in 163 games. Yes, the McDavid factor is always going to be a talking point. But he also checks all the boxes of being an in-demand defenseman in today’s game. Puck mover? Check. Righty? Check. Big guy? Check. Eats minutes for breakfast? Check. He rightfully leveraged his way into a four-year deal because Edmonton would have to flirt with $12 million if they wanted to lock him into eight years. He also produces at 5v5, with more than half of his points coming there, so he isn’t just some powerplay merchant. These kind of guys you just have to keep under your roof, especially after making the home run draft pick back in 2018.

Oil Is Drying Up

Stan Bowman is gonna have to get creative here. This extension gives them only half a million in remaining cap space. Yes, they do have 13 forwards and seven defensemen under contract, but they need to find a way to get better after “regressing” last year. Moving off of Viktor Arvidsson’s $4 million and praying for a taker for Jake Campbell’s remaining contract are nonnegotiable. They will also have to compete with the big boys in the vet market too. Will players value playing with McDavid more than the money they could save by avoiding Canadian taxes? That’s the question of the day in Edmonton.

Brad Marchand Inks Deal To Stay With Panthers

It’s a safari in NHL free agency right now. The salary cap rising and rising will completely change the approach that teams have and whether it’s long-term or mid-term, lots of teams will try thinking outside of the box. Evan Bouchard is the latest of many to get paid.

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