Oilersnation is reviving the Top 100 Edmonton Oilers of All Time list, a project originally created by the late Robin Brownlee in 2015. Evan Bouchard comes in at No. 18 on our updated 2025 list. He was not ranked on Brownlee’s original list.

There are few athletes in all of sports more misunderstood than the offensive defenceman.

In the NHL, every team needs a blueliner who can snap the puck up to their forwards’ tape, activate in transition, and make plays in the offensive zone. Producing offence without them is an uphill battle in the modern game.

Evan Bouchard is one of these coveted players who can use offensive traits to consistently win tough minutes. According to the numbers, he’s a legitimate needle mover, but you’d never know it by listening to fan discourse.

While Bouchard dazzles with elite passing and his signature “Bouch Bomb,” there will always be people who don’t like how he operates. They want the conventional defenceman. The type who protects the front of the net, breaks up cycles, and wins battles in the corner. They want mistake-free hockey, or at least as close to it as possible, and boy, is that far from Bouchard.

His method of defence is keeping the puck away from his own end altogether. He’s an elite possession driver, but when it comes to the traditional means — netfront defending, defensive zone positioning, etc. — Bouchard can struggle at times, there’s no denying that.

While many criticize Bouchard for what he isn’t, I believe it’s worth celebrating what he is: one of the best offensive players in the sport.

Notable

When Bouchard entered the NHL, he flourished........

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