Evan Bouchard's contract could be NHL's biggest bargain for Oilers

It's safe to say that Bouchard's contract will pay him around $6 million more than his cap hit this season, which could put the Oilers in a difficult position. The Oilers will have four unrestricted free agents next season: Jeff Skinner, Corey Perry, Connor Brown, and Derek Ryan. The four account for $6 million in cap space, meaning the Oilers must fit in Draisaitl, Bouchard, and four replacements with minimal space.

The incoming cap crunch makes the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals even more bittersweet for the Oilers. They were one win away from winning the elusive trophy before the Florida Panthers stole it. It was a valiant effort to come back from 3-0 down to force a Game 7, but close enough doesn't cut it.

The Oilers will never be in a better cap situation than this season. If he replicates last season's success, Bouchard is the biggest bargain in the league at $3.9 million. Bouchard is a point-per-game defenseman who finished second to Connor McDavid in the postseason with 32 points. He also finished with 82 points in 81 games in the regular season.

What other team has a defenseman putting up those stats at such a bargain deal? Roman Josi makes $9.05 million, Cale Makar makes $9 million, and Quinn Hughes makes $7.85 million. The 2024-25 season isn't the end of the Oilers' contending window, but it could be their best shot.

Source: Yahoo Sports
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