Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard is having quite the postseason.
Netting a clutch goal in the Oilers’ Game 7 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, the 24-year-old has brought his playoff point total to 20 on the year already.
And given we’re not even in Round 3 yet, that’s good enough for a new NHL record.
E-Van City 💪 pic.twitter.com/bOkOX2Pccn
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 21, 2024
Until now, no defenceman in NHL history had netted more than 19 points through the first two rounds of a single postseason, which means Bouchard stands alone at 20.
Adding to the impressiveness of the statistic, the Oakville, Ontario native scored one goal and nine points in Round 1 against the Los Angeles Kings — a series that only lasted five games.
Bouchard took his offence to another level against the Canucks, logging four more goals and seven helpers while maintaining a +/- rating of +7 throughout the hard-fought series.
When asked about his recent offensive surge, Bouchard was quick to credit his teammates for allowing him to flourish.
“Come playoff time, you gotta step up,” he told reporters on Monday night. “The team played very well, and I think … you get individual success after that.”
While the rest of the league is taking notice, Oilers fans are less surprised with Bouchard, who now has 46 points over 40 career playoff games, getting on the board so much.
More than doubling his career-high in points this season with 82 over 81 games certainly provided some foreshadowing.
Looking to continue their excellent run, the Oilers will travel to Texas on Thursday night to play the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
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