Is Evan Bouchard in the 'Hut' of Elite NHL Defensemen?

That’s a massive statement for a player who is as polarizing as Bouchard has been in recent seasons. Known for being a solid playoff performer, there are questions about Bouchard’s consistency in the regular season. However, he’s been so good over the last two playoff runs that analysts like O’Neill have fallen in love with Bouchard and led people to believe it’s just a matter of flipping a switch, rather than ability.

In the pressure cooker of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Bouchard has not only held his own—he’s dominated. There may be no better defenseman in the entire league.

Bouchard’s Playoff Numbers Are Another Level of Elite

Through 17 postseason games, Bouchard has racked up six goals and 12 assists for 18 points, leading all defensemen in playoff scoring. Even more impressively, he leads all NHL blueliners in playoff scoring over the last four postseasons, with 76 points in 70 games—a remarkable +17 rating to boot. And, it’s not just his offense that is drawing attention. He’s been a completely different player defensively, too.

His ability to contribute in every playoff situation—power play, penalty kill, and even-strength minutes—has made him a cornerstone of Edmonton’s deep postseason run. Watching him in the playoffs is like watching a different player. Bouchard has always been good. In the postseason, good doesn’t even come close to describing how tremendous his game has been.

O’Neill’s take as a “Leafs’ guy” is even more compelling when you factor in Bouchard’s performance in the Stanley Cup Final. In just one game against the Florida Panthers, he already surpassed the offensive output of any Toronto defenseman across seven games against the same team earlier in the playoffs.

The question critics will reasonably ask is, how does one separate inconsistent regular-season performances from all-worldly playoff results when asking if Bouchard should be ranked alongside game-changers like Hughes, who often earns Norris Trophy buzz? As one commentator put it, “In the regular season, I’ll take Quinn Hughes. Evan Bouchard is the best defenseman in the NHL in the playoffs, however. No one has been better in recent years. Not Hughes. Not Makar.”

Perhaps the most telling stat? Bouchard has posted the largest increase in career points-per-game from regular season to postseason in NHL history. That tells you his increased production is a matter of factoring in what’s at stake.

So, is Bouchard in the “hut” with Makar and Hughes?