Liam Horrobin of OilersNation: Frank Seravalli on OilersNation Everyday two weeks ago on Edmonton Oilers pending RFA defenseman Evan Bouchard.
“I don’t see a path as currently constituted for a long-term deal. I think they (Edmonton) are thinking and hoping to bridge. If it gets to the point where is not willing to sign a bridge and only wants long-term then it is not out of the realm of possibility that he (Evan Bouchard) gets traded this summer. I don’t think it is something the Oilers want to do; however, they are dealing with a tight salary cap.
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There was an avenue to extend him over the summer to a bridge deal. He (Bouchard) bet on himself by waiting to see how the year played out. Now moving forward, I think you bet on yourself and pocket whatever the number turns out to be 2 years x $3.5 million, 2 years x $4.5 million. You put that in your pocket and then work for that $8 million deal after that.”
Tyler Yaremchuk adds that playing beside Mattias Ekholm can help get him in the $7-$8 million range.
“The other part of this too is from a player’s perspective, if you look at the back half of the season you have had with Mattias Ekholm you are going to play with him again next year. I understand wanting to cash in a little now but if he (Bouchard) improves next year we could be talking about a guy that puts himself into the $7 or $8 million range.”
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Evan Bouchard finished the regular season with 19 points in 19 games and the offense is continuing into the playoffs.
A bridge deal may cost the Oilers something in the $5 million per season range. If the Oilers go on a long playoff run and Bouchard continues to play well, the cost of a long-term deal only increases.
The Oilers don’t have a lot of salary cap room to play with next season.
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