The Edmonton Oilers didn’t wait around when it came to one particular player. They locked up the 25-year-old defenseman with a four-year, $42 million deal, but the speed of the signing wasn’t just Edmonton’s doing.
Was Evan Bouchard’s Price Tag Inflated by the Hurricanes’ Aggressive Tactics?
According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the Carolina Hurricanes were circling with an offer sheet in mind, and that possibility pushed things forward.
On 32 Thoughts, Friedman explained that Carolina “threatened” to take a run at Evan Bouchard. The paper never hit the league office, but the threat itself was enough to make Edmonton uneasy.
Elliotte Friedman: The offer sheets, even though it didn’t happen, they were out there; Carolina, they threatened to offer sheet Evan Bouchard; they threatened to offer sheet K’Andre Miller; the offer sheet threat was there; it was from kinda one team – FAN Hockey Show (9/22)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) September 24, 2025
No one in Edmonton wanted to risk losing a cornerstone blueliner the way they lost Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg last year to similar situations. This time, they didn’t wait.
The Oilers originally aimed for an eight-year commitment. Bouchard’s camp leaned the other way, preferring something shorter with the expected salary cap jump.
With Carolina lurking, compromise came quickly: four years at $10.5 million per season. That figure is a touch higher than most projections, closer to $9.5 million, and you can bet the Hurricanes’ posture had something to do with it.
The decision also reflects where Bouchard is in his career. Coming off a breakout 67-point season, plus another 23 in the playoffs, he’s proven he’s more than just a steady defender. He’s become a driver of Edmonton’s attack, a player who can tilt the ice. By betting on a shorter deal, he leaves the door wide open for an even bigger payday before hitting 30.
How Carolina’s Offer Sheet Posture Changed Team Tactics
Carolina, meanwhile, didn’t stop at Bouchard. Friedman noted they had their eyes on Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller, too. No offer sheet there either, but the Hurricanes landed him through a trade. They signed him for eight years at $7.5 million annually.
It’s another example of GM Eric Tulsky leaning hard into reshaping his blue line with big, mobile pieces.
For Edmonton, the urgency was about avoiding another mess. For Carolina, it was about flexing pressure and showing the rest of the league they’ll push boundaries. Even without snagging Bouchard, their fingerprints are all over the Oilers’ summer.
Ultimately, the Hurricanes didn’t get their man, but they changed the math. The Oilers paid more, moved faster, and closed the book before Jul. 1. Sometimes, the move you don’t make ends up shaping the offseason just as much as the one you do.
