Oilers have two great comparables for Evan Bouchard's contract extension

The Edmonton Oilers are preparing for a 2023-24 season in which they are again one of the league’s Stanley Cup favourites.

Their roster for the upcoming season is quite similar to what it was in 2022-23, albeit with a big free-agent addition in Connor Brown. With that said, one key member of last year’s team still needs a new contract: Evan Bouchard.

Bouchard remains an RFA and is looking to cash in after posting 17 points in 12 playoff games months ago. That said, his lack of defensive awareness at times on the ice hurts his overall value and will bring his cap hit down. On top of that, the Oilers only have approximately $3.5 million in cap space, meaning a bridge deal between the two sides may be necessary. Regardless of which route they go, there are two players in particular that both sides can look to as a comparable when it comes to an extension.

Noah Dobson

Bouchard and Noah Dobson have been linked for some time, as they were both high-scoring defencemen in the OHL that got drafted just two picks apart in 2018. While Dobson has played more seasons in the NHL than Bouchard, both have had similar careers thus far.

Dobson had a breakout season in 2021-22, registering a career-high 51 points. He followed that up with a 49-point season, which suggests he had an excellent career early on. That said, while his offensive game is very promising, he tends to be a liability in his own end of the ice.

This makes Dobson very similar to Bouchard, who also has plenty of offensive skill but struggles to defend. In August of 2022, the New York Islanders elected to give Dobson a three-year, $12 million deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $4 million.

While it may seem to make sense that Bouchard would be given that same amount, it is important to remember that Dobson has put up more points on a team that scores far less than the Oilers. That may be a negotiating tactic used to ensure Bouchard’s AAV comes in slightly lower than the Islanders defenceman.

Bowen Byram

Another comparable that Bouchard’s camp may look at is Colorado Avalanche’s defenceman Bowen Byram. Byram is roughly a year and a half younger than Bouchard and has played nearly 100 fewer games in the NHL due mainly to injury.

Despite Byram’s concussion issues since entering the NHL, he is a fantastic talent and has registered 43 points in 91 career games. Being picked fourth overall in 2019, it was obvious that Byram had major potential, plenty of which remains untapped. That said, it was a surprise to see him sign a two-year deal with an AAV of $3.85 million considering he hasn’t played much NHL hockey to date.

Though Byram’s ceiling is higher than Bouchard’s, the Oilers defenceman could easily argue that he has had the better career to date. Because of that, it seems reasonable to think he would land a deal in the same range. If he is to get anything above $3.5 million, Ken Holland will need to find a way to free some money up.

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