Mattias Ekholm`s extended absence from the Edmonton Oilers` lineup was expected to significantly hurt the team`s chances at winning the Stanley Cup. However, even without their most reliable defenseman for all 11 playoff games so far, the Oilers have managed to reach the Western Conference Final for the third time in the last four years.
Last week, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch informed reporters that he does not foresee Ekholm, who also missed 10 of Edmonton`s final 11 regular-season games due to an undisclosed injury, being available for at least the first two games against the Dallas Stars. The Oilers are not planning to rush his return to action.
“We shouldn`t expect Ekholm to be the same player we saw in last year`s playoffs immediately upon his return,” Knoblauch told the media. “Fortunately, our current group of defensemen is performing exceptionally well, so we are not in desperate need to insert him into the lineup before he`s ready.”
At the beginning of the playoffs, Knoblauch faced the challenge of compensating for Ekholm`s substantial ice time, typically over 22 minutes per game. This responsibility has been shared among Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, and Brett Kulak, all of whom have seen a notable increase in their average ice time compared to the regular season. Bouchard is now playing nearly three additional minutes per game; his average of 26:24 of ice time is the second highest among players still competing in the postseason, just slightly behind Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (26:37).
Even without Ekholm as his partner, Bouchard has maintained strong offensive production, contributing to the Oilers generating 61.9 percent of the expected goals at 5-on-5 during his shifts. He has recorded 12 points in 11 playoff games this year (seven points at 5-on-5), increasing his career playoff points total to 70 in 64 games (an average of 1.09 points per game). Among the nearly 450 defensemen who have played at least 50 career playoff games, only the legendary Bobby Orr (1.24 points per game) has averaged more points.
Bouchard and the Oilers experienced defensive difficulties early on, allowing 12 goals in their two losses to the Los Angeles Kings. Bouchard was on the ice for five of the seven 5-on-5 goals scored by the Kings in the first two games of the opening round. However, over the following nine games, the Oilers have outscored their opponents 13-8 at 5-on-5 with Bouchard on the ice. This includes a dominant 8-2 advantage against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round.
Bouchard leads the NHL in puck-possession time this postseason, averaging 29:47 per game. His true turnover rate of 12 percent ranks 13th among the 206 skaters who have played at least 100 minutes in the playoffs. This demonstrates that Bouchard is handling the puck with impressive effectiveness. In the Oilers` playoff-opening loss to the Kings on April 21st, two of Bouchard`s turnovers quickly resulted in goals against within 10 seconds. Since that game, he has been responsible for only one turnover in 10 games that directly led to an opponent`s goal.
Knoblauch decided to pair Bouchard with Kulak for the Oilers` last two games, and this adjustment has yielded positive results. With this defensive pairing on the ice during the games that sealed the series against the Golden Knights, the Oilers held a 14-9 edge in scoring chances and outscored the opponent 1-0 at 5-on-5. (Meanwhile, Nurse has been moved to the second defense pairing alongside Troy Stecher.)
Tristan Blackwood