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Oilers’ Evan Bouchard Historic Playoff Run: Next Up, Miro Heiskanen

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Jim Parsons | Last updated 5/21/24

With five goals and 13 points in 13 playoff games, Miro Heiskanen has been the Dallas Stars best player so far in this series. It will be a huge challenge for Evan Bouchard to match or exceed Heiskanen’s production, but Bouchard is coming off a series where he outplayed Quinn Hughes, a Norris Trophy finalist. Bouchard has stepped up in a major way for the Oilers, but can he handle this matchup?

Bouchard had an incredible second round. He posted four goals and seven assists in seven games. He leads all defensemen in points in the NHL playoffs and Bouchard’s 20 points are the most in NHL history by a defenseman through the first two rounds of a single postseason. Connor McDavid called him one of the smartest players he’s ever played with and if he can keep this going, he’ll have one of the greatest postseason in modern NHL history.

Evan Bouchard is off to a historic point pace through the first two rounds of the playoffs ????

(H/T: @PR_NHL) pic.twitter.com/vDpLyisrKX
— BarDown (@BarDown) May 21, 2024

They say you can’t win a Stanley Cup without an elite defenceman. The Stars certainly have one in Heiskanen. But, Bouchard is making a case that he’s arguably the best blueliner in the postseason and his incredible numbers seem to be getting better the longer the Oilers last. He played a game where he posted over 31 minutes recently and he’s more sure of himself, not making the same mistakes he did early in the season.

Bouchard Has Outplayed Every Elite Defenseman To This Point

Up against the Los Angeles Kings, Bouchard faced off with Drew Doughty and won. Against the Canucks and Hughes, Bouchard stood tall. Heiskanen might be his greatest test yet. The Stars are deeper on the blue line than the Oilers. But, sometimes a series is about the team’s best players being better than the opposition’s best. Bouchard looks like he’s up to the task and it will take himself, McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman to pull the Oilers through the Western Conference Final.

Even if you bet against Edmonton to win this series, betting against Bouchard has proven to be an unwise decision.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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