Oilers News: Insider says 'The Battle Is On' in Evan Bouchard Extension Talks

Now that Jakob Chychrun has signed his huge 8-year, $72 million extension ($9M AAV) with the Washington Capitals, it appears that "the battle is on" between the Edmonton Oilers and pending RFA Evan Bouchard's camp.

That's the word from NHL insider Brian Lawton, former player, GM and agent.Via David Staples in the Edmonton Journal, Lawton described to Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now that while the Chychrun deal could be seen by some as a comparable for Bouchard, it's probably just the starting point:

I would have Evan ahead of Jacob. But some people would disagree with that because they would say that Jacob’s game is more well-rounded on, and I’m talking just in value. But there are more comparables than people would know, too. There’s a standard out there for top guys, and Evan’s put up huge points, and I could easily see why he would want to gravitate to the elite of the elite, particularly Rasmus Dahlin at $11 million (AAV)... I could see one side (the Bouchard camp) being there, and one side (the Oilers) being where Jakob Chychrun is very easily...
And then the battle is on.

For the longest time, even all the way back to last summer, the $10M mark is where observers had assumed Bouchard would come in. Has he maintained that status this season? It's debatable. With 12 games to play, Bouchard is on pace for about 60 points, compared to last season's 82. His plus/minus rating of +34 last year has dipped to +16 this time around. From eight power play goals last season, he has just two this year.

But when it comes down to it, says Lawton, it's all about how much Bouchard wants to stay with the program in Edmonton, as to how the two sides bridge that $2 million gap (between Chychrun's $9M and Dahlin's $11M).

"What kind of program are the Edmonton Oilers running? Is this something that Evan Bouchard has bought 100% in? And if it is, then that deal 100% gets worked out. But if it’s just about the money, then it becomes much more strenuous because that’s a really large gap...

"That’s going to be a tough one for all parties involved, in my opinion,” concludes Lawton.

From our viewpoint, it seems like a no-brainer to settle in the middle at that $10M mark. But how steadfast Bouchard and the Oilers are in their respective positions will tell the tale.