The Edmonton Oilers continue their difficult start to the season. Through six games, the franchise has dropped three regulation losses, plus an overtime defeat to Calgary in the season opener. Their offense has been a major reason behind that.
While head coach Kris Knoblauch experiments with new line combinations, the Oilers’ overdependence on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl has become increasingly apparent. As fan frustration mounts, a former NHL player recently sparked controversy by labeling one of McDavid’s teammates overpaid.
Paul Bissonnette Calls Oilers Defenseman Overpaid
The Oilers have struggled early in the campaign. Zach Hyman’s absence from the top line has exposed vulnerabilities, and deploying McDavid and Draisaitl together hasn’t provided the expected results.
Statistics show that despite both stars logging over 25 minutes per game, their elevated ice time hasn’t translated to victories. While McDavid has faced his share of criticism, defenseman Evan Bouchard became the target of Paul Bissonnette’s latest commentary.
Appearing on “Spittin’ Chiclets,” Bissonnette joined co-hosts Ryan Whitney and Keith Yandle to discuss Bouchard’s contract. “Bouchard isn’t a f**king ten-and-a-half-million-dollar defenseman without Connor McDavid; he’s not,” Bissonnette declared.
The former NHL forward argued Bouchard’s production stems directly from playing alongside elite talent. “The reason that he gets to have 80 points a year is because of Connor McDavid. If you take him and [Leon] Draisaitl away, Bouchard’s maybe a 45.5-point offensive defenseman,” he said.
When Whitney and Yandle countered that any team would want Bouchard, Bissonnette pointed to power-play production as evidence. “How many Power Play points of those points that he’s gotten are on the Power Play?” he questioned.
Bissonnette suggested that most of Bouchard’s points come from secondary assists generated by top-six forwards. “If I gave you a pie graph? Okay, what percentage of the success of that power play was strictly as a result of Bouchard?” he asked.
The analyst noted that 26 of Bouchard’s 67 points last season came on the power play. “I’m just saying, like, going back to the tweet, seeing that Draisaitl’s making 14 and Connor’s making 12 and a half, does he now say, ‘I think for that nine’s my number?'” Bissonnette added.
Whitney and Yandle quickly countered that Bouchard signed his extension before McDavid became eligible for a new deal. They pointed out that then-GM Ken Holland had already lost Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway the previous summer, making the organization unwilling to risk losing another young defenseman.
Bissonnette acknowledged that the Oilers faced pressure, as Carolina reportedly prepared an offer sheet for Bouchard. However, he maintained that Bouchard’s $10.5 million annual salary doesn’t match his individual value without Edmonton’s elite centers.
