As the Edmonton Oilers continue to bounce between wins and losses, the team’s need to play better defense, both in and out of the net, has become abundantly clear. This starts with the leaders on the blue line, Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard.
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The top pair signed new multi-year deals during the offseason, furthering their long-term roles on the team. Despite the money and renewed expectations, it’s been slow out of the gate for both, and as each game passes, the pressure rings.
Ekholm and Bouchard’s numbers don’t lie
It hasn’t been easy for anyone on the Oilers’ blue line this season, but EKholm ranks 14th in the league with 28, while Bouchord is very close to the list with 23, and the two have combined for 29 offers. Bouchard is also minus-10, and EKholm is minus-9.
Of course, the top pairing gets more ice time per game than the other defensive side, but it won’t come close to this. Ekholm and Boucheard have been reliable with the heavy load before and have thrived, especially in the playoffs – Bouchard went on a six-game pointless streak to start the season, while Ekholm has two separate five-game streak without recording a point. That’s not possible with the top defensive pairing on any team.
That said, their offensive numbers have picked up in recent games, and hopefully, their defense is working. The Oilers’ professional staff won’t have to worry about their top two blueliners, especially with other tackle needs.
The Oilers Defense needs a confidence boost
Bouchard and Ekholm have been trusted with a heavy load in the past and for good reason. When they are on their game, the rest of the team is likely to win. Bouchard averaged 26 minutes of Ice Time per game in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. The postseason before that, he averaged more than 25 minutes, while Ekholm averaged about 22 minutes. They both played Stellar Hockey, and so did the team.
That flexible diet and confidence is probably what these people need to find again. They seem to have lost that, and it has affected the team. Getting the oilers back on track starts with their top line playing with consistency and allowing the entire defense to feed off of them.
The Oilers need leaders
Boucheard and Ekholm are the top pair in front of veterans like Darnell Nurses and Jake Walman, but they have youth in the back as well. Alec Regula and Ty Emboren are both just 25-years-old and they’re still learning and, hopefully, filling a top-six role for years to come. Having big, talented veterans leading the way is critical to their growth. Those Veterans need to understand that and fulfill that role.
All the veterans on the Oilers are dedicated and looking in the right direction. The recent video of Boucherd and Ekholm, and their exchange with McDavid, is a big sign. It shows how much they want to find things and find time to travel. There is no better time than now, and it starts with talent and leadership at the top of the list.
