Sunday Overreactions: Is Evan Bouchard’s season Norris worthy?

Make no mistake about it, this has been the 12 months of the defenceman.

Positive, Nathan MacKinnon has put collectively a blinding season, Connor McDavid continues to wow, Nikita Kucherov is scoring at a torrid tempo and Macklin Celebrini is mesmerizing, however it’s been an unbelievable marketing campaign for blueliners.

Six defencemen have already scored 20 objectives, and Rasmus Dahlin might nonetheless make it seven. That is probably the most in any season since 1992-93.

A kind of gamers with 20 tucks is Evan Bouchard, who’s having a superb season. Unquestionably his finest ever. But it surely’s nearly occurred quietly and even a little bit beneath the radar. With somebody like Matthew Schaefer bursting on the scene to rework the New York Islanders or Quinn Hughes heading to the Minnesota Wild and immediately making them a serious contender, Bouchard has been misplaced within the shuffle considerably in 2025-26.

That could possibly be partly as a result of most individuals have already made up their thoughts about Bouchard. He’s an immensely proficient offensive participant who’s flawed defensively, critics would possibly say. Somebody who won’t ever fairly be checked out in the identical manner as Cale Makar and Hughes are, some would possibly add. Bouchard, after all, was even handed over for Crew Canada’s roster on the Olympics, they might level out.

Nevertheless, this season, Bouchard is doing his finest to rewrite his narrative. He leads all defenders in factors, and momentum is constructing round him relating to the Norris dialog.

Bouchard deserves the Norris this season

With solely a few video games to go, Bouchard has 91 factors, 10 greater than Zach Werenski amongst blueliners. Bouchard grew to become simply the fifth defenceman since 1995 to attain 90 factors and it’s actually not unusual for the Norris winner to be the chief in factors amongst defenders. That, mixed with barely down years from Hughes and Makar, might actually open the door for Bouchard.

Whereas offence is all the time a giant a part of the award, most will level out that different components apart from factors ought to be thought of for the Norris. There are a selection of robust candidates this season that don’t lean on simply factors for his or her resume. Werenski has posted his second straight 80-point season and has carried the Columbus Blue Jackets at instances, whereas averaging greater than 26 minutes per recreation. That’s the second most within the NHL, subsequent to Hughes. Moritz Seider is likely to be probably the most full defenceman within the league and is a stalwart defensively with 178 blocked photographs. And the place would the Buffalo Sabres be with out Rasmus Dahlin? He does a little bit little bit of every part for Buffalo and has helped them lastly finish a prolonged playoff drought.
There are most likely as many as half a dozen candidates worthy of consideration for the Norris this season, however it does really feel like Bouchard could also be separating himself from the pack.

One of many issues that actually stands out from Bouchard this season is that he isn’t simply an elite level producer amongst defencemen. From Jan. 17 onwards, solely Nick Suzuki, McDavid and Kucherov have extra factors than Bouchard. He’s even outscored Nathan MacKinnon over that stretch. Not solely that, however Bouchard has actually stepped up his recreation because the Oilers misplaced Leon Draisaitl. Bouchard has 14 factors in 12 video games since Draisaitl went down and is plus-4, whereas enjoying over 24 minutes an evening.

The Oilers have actually wanted Bouchard’s offence greater than ever earlier than this season, as they’ve struggled to get a save all 12 months. Edmonton has the league’s Thirtieth-ranked save share and has allowed no less than 4 objectives in nearly half its video games. With out a profession 12 months from Bouchard, there’s no manner the Oilers are nonetheless within the combine to win the Pacific Division and would seemingly be on the playoff bubble as an alternative.

Should you put all of the defencemen within the NHL proper now in a draft, I’m unsure Bouchard would even be a top-five choice. However that doesn’t take away from the truth that in 2025-26, he’s having the perfect season amongst all his friends and is worthy of claiming the Norris Trophy.

Not touchdown Quinn Hughes was the start of the tip for Tom Fitzgerald in New Jersey

Tom Fitzgerald grew to become the second basic supervisor to lose his job within the span of per week, after he and the New Jersey Devils parted methods final Monday. The Devils will miss the playoffs this season, making it 4 instances in six years throughout Fitzgerald’s tenure. That’s far too many for a crew as proficient as New Jersey. When you may have Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and others, the Devils wanted to have a significantly better marketing campaign than they delivered this 12 months.

That mentioned, what might’ve been the final straw for Fitzgerald was not touchdown Quinn Hughes again in December, when the Vancouver Canucks dealt him to the Minnesota Wild. The Hughes brothers haven’t precisely been hiding the truth that all of them wish to play collectively and the Devils have two of them. New Jersey was rumoured to be within the combine for Hughes when the Canucks have been purchasing him however couldn’t shut the deal. Given how Hughes has taken the Wild to a different stage since his arrival, you’d must suppose he would’ve been capable of change New Jersey’s trajectory this season as nicely.

The Japanese Convention is broad open this 12 months and including a participant like Hughes would’ve made a large distinction for the Devils. Not solely that, however it additionally felt just like the air actually went out of the crew after they missed out on the celebrity blue liner. New Jersey endured a stretch the place it misplaced eight of 10 video games, not lengthy after the Wild acquired Hughes. There have been rumblings that the rationale the Devils couldn’t deliver Hughes in was due to cap points they usually couldn’t filter sufficient contracts in time, which might’ve been difficult due to no-move clauses.

Clearly, different issues finally led to it not understanding for Fitzgerald, however it actually appeared just like the group couldn’t recover from the truth that they didn’t safe Hughes. Given the brothers’ want to play collectively, there was clearly a great likelihood Quinn would’ve signed long-term in New Jersey, too. What might have been.

Alex Tuch is destined to hit the open market in free company

After a gradual begin, it’s been largely a dream season for the Sabres. A prolonged playoff drought is over and there’s pleasure about hockey as soon as once more in Western New York, but when there’s one concern across the Sabres proper now, it’s Alex Tuch’s contract. The 29-year-old is ready to be a free agent this summer time, and he’s considered one of Buffalo’s most essential gamers. Tuch will little doubt be in search of a serious elevate on the $4.75-million AAV he’s at the moment incomes and the 2 sides have but to bridge the hole. The Sabres ahead could possibly be hoping for one thing within the neighbourhood of Adrian Kempe’s current extension, which goes to pay the Los Angeles Kings ahead $10.6-million per 12 months.

In a skinny free agent class and with a rising cap, Tuch very nicely could possibly be the perfect participant accessible if he makes it to July 1 and Buffalo can be liable to shedding him if he hits the market.

Normally if a participant makes it into the spring with out an extension, they’ll usually check free company, however that isn’t all the time the case. The Florida Panthers are a current instance of retaining gamers like Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand on the eve of free company and it occurred with Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2016 as nicely.

The important thing factor right here for the Sabres is to maintain a great factor going within the playoffs and go on a long term, which might finally make it more durable for Tuch to go away. Buffalo appears like they’re a great younger crew on the rise that’s going to have a good chance to compete for the foreseeable future, in order that figures to be one thing Tuch would wish to prioritize on a long-term deal. Bear in mind, Tuch can be from Western New York, which can give the Sabres a bonus in retaining him.

Finally, this looks like a scenario that has been helpful for each side and there’s nonetheless loads of time to succeed in an extension. It’s untimely to suppose Tuch will certainly hit the market.

The Geese are in peril of lacking the playoffs

Somebody has to win the middling Pacific Division and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be the Anaheim Geese. The Geese seemed to be in command of their destiny atop the division till a current six-game slide opened the door for the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights to overhaul them. That included some robust losses to groups like Toronto, Calgary and St. Louis, who’re out of playoff rivalry. What’s worse? Anaheim could possibly be liable to lacking the playoffs totally. The Geese at the moment are simply two factors up on the ultimate wild card spot and three up on the Nashville Predators, who’re at the moment sitting in ninth within the West. It’s not inconceivable that Anaheim might find yourself on the surface trying in if this hunch continues.

The Geese are down to 3 video games left with just one beneficial matchup. They’ll tackle the last-place Vancouver Canucks at house Sunday after which go on the highway for contests in opposition to Minnesota and Nashville. The Predators are battling for the ultimate spot within the West and the Geese have been lately embarrassed on house ice by a 5-0 rating in opposition to Nashville.

Joel Quenneville’s crew is admittedly struggling defensively, as there at the moment are solely three groups within the league which have given up extra high-danger possibilities than the Geese. That led to Anaheim permitting no less than 4 objectives in each recreation throughout that aforementioned shedding streak. In the event that they don’t type out their defensive woes quickly, it wouldn’t be stunning to see the Geese miss out on the post-season as soon as once more.

James Hagens will make a serious impression for the Bruins within the playoffs

Boston Bruins followers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of James Hagens and the timing couldn’t be higher. The Bruins are a shock playoff crew this season and have now formally clinched their spot, so Hagens could possibly be a giant increase to the roster heading into the post-season. Hagens, the seventh-overall decide within the 2025 draft, notched 47 factors earlier this 12 months at Boston Faculty and picked up 4 extra in six AHL contests in Windfall. With the commerce deadline lengthy gone, the easiest way so as to add to your crew at the moment of 12 months is usually to herald impactful faculty gamers to provide your roster a jolt. Hagens will surely match the invoice for the Bruins and could possibly be a distinction maker for Boston when the playoffs get underway.

Hagens is an incredible expertise and sure has a protracted NHL profession forward of him, however there are few issues more durable than leaping full velocity into the NHL playoffs. Bear in mind, Hagens is simply five-foot-11 and 177 kilos, so it’s a giant ask for him to contribute meaningfully instantly in probably the most bodily hockey he’s ever performed. My guess is the Bruins ease him in slowly and use him selectively in sure conditions to focus on his expertise and shelter him considerably. Perhaps he chips in some offence right here and there on the ability play, although it might be unfair to count on Hagens to do any heavy lifting this spring. Mood your expectations the place Hagens is worried.