Evan Bouchard’s No. 10 ranking among the NHL’s top defensemen has raised eyebrows around the Edmonton Oilers.
NHL Network producers and analysts revealed their top 20 defensemen Sunday, Aug. 9, with Bouchard landing behind nine other blueliners. The list placed Cale Makar first, followed by Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Rasmus Dahlin and Miro Heiskanen.
Lane Hutson, Matthew Schaefer, Jake Sanderson and Moritz Seider also ranked ahead of Bouchard. That placement did not sit well with Oilers Nation analyst Liam Horrobin.
“I think Lane Hutson is a great defenseman,” Horrobin said on the “Oilers Nation Everyday” podcast. “I think Schaefer, Sanderson, all awesome.”
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However, Horrobin questioned whether Bouchard’s reputation influenced the ranking more than his production. The Oilers defenseman produced numbers that none of those NHL blueliners matched last season.
“It has to come with a bit of a reputation of like, what did Evan Bouchard do this season?” Horrobin said.
Evan Bouchard’s production makes the ranking difficult to defend
Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers players, including captain Connor McDavid (97), with defenseman Evan Bouchard (2) at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Bouchard led NHL defensemen with 74 assists and 95 points across 82 games. He scored 21 goals and finished fourth in Norris Trophy voting.
His 95 points marked the third-highest single-season total by an NHL defenseman since 2000. Only Erik Karlsson and Roman Josi previously reached that mark.
Horrobin says those numbers should have carried greater weight. “It’s like, well, he’s got close to 100 points,” he said. “That has to mean something more.”
The analyst added that he would have ranked Bouchard “at least sixth” on the list. His argument has merit, especially when comparing Bouchard’s output with several players ranked ahead.
Bouchard also posted a plus-29 even-strength goal differential, showing his offensive impact did not completely come at the expense of defensive results.
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The ranking remains subjective, but Bouchard’s 95-point season gives Edmonton a strong case for a higher spot. His production places him among the NHL’s elite defensemen, regardless of where the list ranks him.
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