Ask any NHL goalie, and they’ll tell you Evan Bouchard‘s notorious slap shot is among their worst nightmares. The “Bouch Bomb” places the Oilers’ defenseman in the League’s 99th percentile in terms of top shot speed, making him one of the most revered blueline stars in the NHL. Naturally, Edmonton was eager to retain the 25-year-old with his restricted free agency looming overhead. But their keenness might have had something to do with Bouchard being on the Carolina Hurricanes’ radar.

Bouchard finished the 2024-25 postseason with 23 points in 22 games. Suffices to say that the Oilers‘ #2 had a pretty swell postseason despite Edmonton suffering yet another heartbreak at the hands of the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Naturally, with his RFA kicking in on July 1, many franchises had eyes on the Oakville, Ontario, native.

As per an X post by B/R Open Ice from July 7, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman suggested that the Canes were the main reason behind Bouchard’s current 4-year $10.5 million AAV contract with the Oilers. “Before Evan Bouchard signed an extension in Edmonton, Carolina reportedly threatened to offer sheet him, per @FriedgeHNIC,” the social media update notes.

Bouchard’s contract-extending deal was carried out on June 30, just a day before the RFA came into effect. Apparently, the Hurricanes had a lot of free cap space, especially with ex-Toronto star Mitch Marner deciding to head to Vegas instead of Carolina. Obviously, the Canes’ offer sheet to Evan made it necessary for the Oilers to revise their initial $9.5 million AAV contract to get Bouchard to stick around for another tenure.

With Bouchard agreeing to the Oilers’ new offer, the Hurricanes turned their focus elsewhere and roped in K’Andre Miller from the New York Rangers in exchange for an 8-year $60 million contract. However, amidst all the ruckus, it was Evan who emerged as the true winner. His new AAV is a massive jump from his previous salary ($3.9 million) and is a nod to his massive contributions to the Oilers’ back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals trips.

Dust settled for the Oilers? Far from it! While their blueline retains its crucial centerpiece, Edmonton still has a long way to go before claiming that the roster has enough depth for the road ahead.

Evan Bouchard is not the only one the Oilers are betting on

On Monday, along with Bouchard, the Oilers also re-signed forward Kasperi Kapanen for a one-year $1.3 million contract. The 28-year-old Finnish winger posted 13 points in 57 regular-season games and 6 points in 12 postseason matches. However, the main question remains: What is Edmonton doing to make sure Connor McDavid sticks around for another stint as the Oilers’ captain?

The star forward still has one year remaining of his 8-year contract with the Oilers. However, despite the offseason being in full swing, Edmonton GM Stan Bowman is yet to confirm that the 28-year-old would indeed continue to play in the blue, white, and orange stripes till 2026. That being said, Sportsnet‘s Elliotte Friedman believes that the fans shouldn’t lose sleep over the matter, as he believes that McDavid will ultimately decide to extend his stay at the Canadian metropolis.

“I think I’ve been around long enough to know when there’s fear of losing someone, I don’t feel that here. I just don’t…This is not one I’m worried about. I I’m not I I think he extends,” Friedman said just yesterday during an appearance on an episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. Some relief? Indeed! However, GM Stan Bowman seems to have other things on his mind as well.

The Oilers’ goaltending has been shaky, to say the least, especially in the playoffs. With Stuart Skinner fumbling multiple times, backup goalie Calvin Pickard had to be called upon to save the day on several occasions. But Bowman isn’t too keen on shaking up the goalies’ line just yet. “We’re not at the point where we’re definitely bringing in new goalies. It could make sense to keep this group,” he said last month during a presser.

So, how do you suppose the final Edmonton roster will look before embarking on the 20226 season? Who stays? Who goes out, and which new face could become the new Oilers sensation? Tell us your thoughts in a comment!