Oilers Sign Evan Bouchard to Controversial 4-Year Extension

The deal has caught some people by surprise, not because of the amount, but because the $10.5 million is being paid over four years, not eight. It’s a big commitment to Bouchard, but it walks him into unrestricted free agency much sooner than the Oilers might have liked.

Drafted 10th overall in 2018, Bouchard has become a cornerstone of the Oilers’ blue line, known for his signature “Bouch Bomb” and, sometimes, defensive miscues. After tallying 82 points (18 goals, 64 assists) in the 2023-24 season, he had another strong campaign in 2024-25 with 67 points. But, where he’s truly elite is in the playoffs. He is shattering franchise and NHL records with his postseason production.

In other words, he is an elite offensive defenseman with excellent puck-moving ability and a lethal shot, capable of driving play regardless of his partner, though occasionally prone to costly mistakes.

Some say the $10.5M cap hit will be a deal in a couple of seasons, but the issue with a four-year term is that he could get more in 2029. At that point, the cap will have risen well beyond $120 million and he could be a $15 million player. This feels like the Oilers paid full price here and didn’t get any team-friendly discount. Frank Seravalli reports, “Price to get to eight years was a stretch Edmonton couldn’t commit to at this juncture.”

Bouchard’s deal now leaves Edmonton with $550K in cap space.

The silver lining for Oilers fans who aren’t sold on Bouchard is that this four-year deal means Edmonton is not committing even more money to him for eight seasons.