The Edmonton Oilers are looking to make a push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990 as they enter the 2024-25 campaign with high hopes. Coming off of a season where they were one win away from bringing a championship back to Canada, they went out in the offseason and bolstered their roster even more to a point where they seem to be the team to beat entering the new season. With Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson among the newest signings for the Oilers, the team has also set their focus on extending superstar forward Leon Draisaitl, which seems to be a matter of when it will happen, not if. Unfortunately, they will have to make a decision soon on their newest breakout defensive superstar Evan Bouchard and his upcoming extension, and the recent news of Brock Faber extending with the Minnesota Wild may directly impact what Bouchard demands on his next deal.
On Monday (July 29), Faber signed an eight-year extension with the Wild worth an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million totalling a $68 million deal for the 21-year-old coming off of his rookie season. He played all 82 games last season scoring eight goals and adding 39 assists for 47 points which comes out to a 0.57 points-per-game average. He was also second in voting for the Calder Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, being beaten out by Chicago Blackhawks’ phenom Connor Bedard.
How Does Faber’s Extension Impact the Oilers?
Let’s get right into it, Faber’s extension is a perfect example of gambling on potential from Wild general manager (GM) Bill Guerin. Faber is only entering his second NHL season and definitely has the potential to be an elite all-around player long-term, but that investment could be a problem for the Oilers. Bouchard is coming off of an insane offensive season where he had over a point-per-game average with 18 goals and 64 assists for 82 points through 81 games. At 24 years old, he has finally broken out offensively and turned into a Norris Trophy-caliber player, with expectations rising and some fans predicting he could hit the 100-point plateau this season.
Bouchard’s contract extension has seemingly been placed on the back burner in level of importance considering the need to re-sign Draisaitl, but the Oilers will have to try and get something done at some point. When comparing Bouchard to Faber, they are similar players and Faber seems to be on pace for similar offensive production later on in his career, but Bouchard is already an established top-pairing defenceman, making him more valuable at the current moment.
When considering what Bouchard could be worth, it’s easy to say he could be in the $10.25-11 million per season range. It’s fair to assume Bouchard would consider less money to remain an Oiler and make a push for a championship, but he will still demand a pretty penny. Realistically, Faber’s extension could drive up Bouchard’s request, but it should still come in at a reasonable price on a long-term deal.
The extensions of Draisaitl and Connor McDavid coming in at a lower price could impact Bouchard’s willingness to take a pay cut as well, considering those three, along with Zach Hyman, make up the team’s core moving forward. The Oilers are in their window to make a push for their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history, but they won’t be able to do it without Bouchard coming back, so they should be trying to get something agreed to sooner rather than later. While I don’t doubt a deal will be signed at some point down the line, Faber’s extension may make Bouchard’s AAV a surprise to some fans.
