When the Edmonton Oilers first traded Tyson Barrie to the Nashville Predators as part of a massive trade package which brought back Mattias Ekholm, I was skeptical of the team giving Evan Bouchard more ice time and finally elevating him into a bigger role. My issues with Bouchard stemmed from his inability to play a strong defensive game on a consistent basis as he was still young and made plenty of mistakes, all while being expected to provide offensive production on the man advantage. While there have never been any questions as to whether or not he can produce offensively, his defensive issues were a problem without a strong partner on the blue line.
However, since being placed on a pairing with Ekholm and slowly being given more ice time in an elevated role, Bouchard has proven me wrong in every way. While he is still young and has a lot left to prove, he has slowly been improving defensively and has continued to elevate his offensive game to a point much higher than Barrie was ever able to reach. While Barrie provided offensive strength and was dominant on the power play, Bouchard has taken the role and run with it, proving to everyone why he has deserved the ice time from the beginning.
As the Oilers continue to battle it out with the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final, Bouchard has been leaned on nightly to provide scoring and has been one of the strongest players in the entire league throughout the postseason. While Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have dominated at both ends of the ice through the first two rounds and into the third, Bouchard has maintained an elite style of play that has him in the conversation to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, should the Oilers be successful in their quest for a Stanley Cup.
Barrie Has Struggled Since Leaving Oilers
While Bouchard continues to prove he is a future elite defender in the NHL and is on a path to winning multiple awards, Barrie has been on a different path since leaving the Oilers. In 24 games with the Predators last season after the trade, he scored three goals and added nine assists for 12 points through 24 games. This past season, he played just 41 games scoring one goal and adding 14 assists for 15 points. Throughout the season, he was often a healthy scratch by the Predators and it was clear he was not part of their long-term plans. With that, it was revealed Barrie was given permission to speak with other teams and seek a trade.
Nothing came of that news, and Barrie is expected to enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. At 32 years old, he will likely get some interest from teams around the league who need to add depth defensively, but his previous contract was the reason teams weren’t interested in trading for him last season. As an offensive-minded defender who has proven he can produce on a contending team, he should be able to get a new deal fairly quickly for next season.
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The Oilers made the right call moving on from Barrie and keeping Bouchard. Barrie was always seen as a positive guy in the dressing room and had an attitude that any team would be happy to have. Unfortunately, his inability to play strong defensively at even strength combined with being outplayed on the man advantage led to his trade to the Predators, where he has now found himself on the open market with no job for next season. Bouchard on the other hand, is helping lead the Oilers on a strong postseason run as the team looks to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
