Each day over the next month leading up to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 22 in Dallas, we will be taking a look at the top 31 prospects available, starting with the 31st and leading up to number one.
Next in the series of prospect profiles is our 7th-ranked prospect, defenseman Evan Bouchard.
Evan Bouchard
2017–18 Team: London (OHL)
Date of Birth: October 20, 1999
Place of Birth: Oakville, ON
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 196 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: D
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 4
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 5
NHL Comparable: Colin Miller
When asked who the leading point producers among draft-eligible players are, one would likely not guess a defenseman playing for a rebuilding team. However, despite these qualms, Evan Bouchard managed to pile up the second-most points among all draft-eligible skaters, totaling a whopping 87 points this season for the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League, second only to elite sniper Oliver Wahlstrom’s 94 points with the USA U-18 National Team Development Program.
Bouchard’s mind-boggling numbers came as a surprise to many, as Bouchard had never been relied upon to be a big-time defenseman prior to this season. During his rookie season in 2015–16 with London, the Knights leaned on the likes of current NHLers Mitch Marner, Christian Dvorak, Matthew Tkachuk and Victor Mete and top prospect Olli Juolevi. In 2016–17, London maintained their top pairing of Mete and Juolevi and turned to the likes of Cliff Pu, Robert Thomas, Max Jones and Sam Miletic offensively. However, with Mete and Juolevi playing elsewhere and Pu, Thomas, Jones and Miletic all being traded mid-season, the bill was passed to Bouchard. After the trades, Bouchard inherited the captaincy of the team and took his game to another level, being relied upon to play huge minutes in all situations. Bouchard never looked back.
Clearly, as the point totals indicate, Bouchard is very much a gifted offensive defenseman. He excels in nearly every aspect of the offensive game. His ability to pretty much do it all in the offensive aspects has turned many heads, and seen his draft stock rise substantially throughout the season, with some projecting him as a top-five pick.
Bouchard has an absolute cannon of a shot from the point. Whether in the form of his slap shot or one-timer, Bouchard loves bombing away. He uses his slap shot unashamedly and is very good at getting it through to the net, even with heavy traffic. Bouchard registered a whopping 297 shots on goal this season, an average of almost four and a half shots per game, good for second in the OHL, just 11 shots shy of first place. Bouchard also possesses a good wrist shot and snapshot, featuring good power and accuracy. Bouchard was rewarded this season for his shooting barrage, tallying a remarkable 25 goals, 10 of which came on the man advantage.
Bouchard also possesses elite puck-moving skills. Some scouts believe he has the best passing ability in the draft, with the specialty of making long, tape-to-tape stretch passes. Bouchard’s high-end vision and hockey sense allow him to read the play and make the best decisions with the puck. While Bouchard is classified as a puck-mover, he has no issues slowing the game down and waiting for the right play to present itself. Again, this is another trait scouts feel he does as good or better than anyone else available in the draft. Bouchard quarterbacked London’s power play this season, and with his dual threat of a rocket of a shot and pinpoint passing, proved to be lethal in this role, registering 33 of his 87 points on the power play.
Bouchard’s hockey sense allows him to be incredible with recognizing the opposition’s defensive schemes. He is able to easily identify weak points in the defense and quickly break them down to generate a high-quality scoring chance for his team. This awareness also allows him to pick his spots to jump up into the play, which he enjoys doing. Bouchard is one of the smartest players available in the draft.
If there is one area of Bouchard’s offensive game that is not excellent, it is his skating. His skating is probably the biggest knock on his game. Bouchard is not fast by any means. He has fine speed and good agility once he gets going, but his acceleration is very much lacking. This is one area he will really need to improve before being able to contribute offensively at the NHL level. Bouchard’s skating can also get him in trouble defensively. Opposing forwards are sometimes able to beat him to the outside with speed, which is a concern for playing at the next level. This lack of speed can also result in Bouchard getting out of position if he is not able to recover quickly enough.
Another concern for Bouchard is his compete level. Many scouts feel he does have enough intensity and drive in his game. While this is possible, it may also be a result of his playing style, as more of a slow-the-game-down type of player. Regardless, Bouchard will likely need to increase his energy a bit to be successful in the NHL.
Despite his skating, Bouchard is usually an effective defender because of his size, stick and awareness. Bouchard has a massive wingspan, which can help cut down on players beating him to the outside. His size and reach allow him to cover a lot of ice. Additionally, with how smart and aware of a player he is, he positions himself well once established in the defensive end and can break up plays well. His size allows him to clear the front of the net well and win battles along the boards. When a puck is turned over, Bouchard can quickly transition the play to offense with his elite passing ability.
Implications for the Blackhawks
Bouchard would be a really nice addition to the Hawks’ blue line. The production from the back end has drastically dried up in the last couple of seasons with the regression of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Bouchard would give the Blackhawks a long-term power play quarterback and a player who can log a ton of minutes. He would also complement Henri Jokiharju nicely on the right side in the top four, as Jokiharju plays a more skating-focused style. Having a one-two punch of Bouchard and Jokiharju on the right side of the Blackhawks’ defense for the next 10–15 years would be a good position to be in. However, with how highly some scouts feel about Bouchard, it is entirely possible he could be gone by the time the Hawks are on the clock with the eighth pick.
Timeline
Bouchard’s size and early birthday mean he is closer to being NHL-ready than many draft-eligible prospects. He already has the offensive game and the smarts to play in the NHL. Bouchard very well could make a push for a roster spot to begin next season. But if he does not make the jump immediately, Bouchard could join a team in the spring after London’s season is complete. At the latest, Bouchard will join an NHL blueline in 2019–20.
Projection
Bouchard is as smart as they come, which will take him a long way. His well-rounded and dangerous offensive game will be what carries him at the next level. If he can get his skating to an NHL level, he could become a top-pairing defenseman capable of racking up a ton of points every season. If the skating does not progress as well as many would hope, he should be able to settle into a second-pairing role specializing as a power play quarterback.
What others are saying
“Offensively, Bouchard delivers a consistent effort with his puck management and playmaking, though the prevailing knock on him appears to be average straight-line speed. The good news is that Bouchard is nimble for his size, plus he has excellent timing and awareness to eventually outmaneuver pressure and join the attack deep into enemy territory. His feet are quick enough to maintain a tight gap while backskating, and his massive wingspan and long, active stick help limit the number of times an onrushing forward breezes past him. Bouchard has top-pairing potential with the skills and smarts to be a big point producer at the NHL level.”
— Steve Kournianos/The Draft Analyst
“Bouchard had a tremendous third season in the OHL, completing his regular season with a whopping 87 points in 67 games. The point total represented the highest mark for any first-time draft-eligible skater in the CHL – not just defenders but all skaters. His 297 shots were the second most in the OHL. He tacked on a goal and four helpers in four playoff games. Bouchard has watched his stock grow all season long from being a guy (consistently) ranked in the mid-20s to landing at fifth overall on Craig Button’s most recent list. The big, right-shot defender was the focal point of the Knights offense and often saw upwards of 30 minutes a game in all situations. He’ll be snatched up early this June and is the type of player who could conceivably crack and NHL lineup in the fall due to his late 1999 birthday and accomplished CHL resume.”
— Cam Robinson/Dobber Prospects