Elliotte Friedman praises Evan Bouchard and weighs in on the Norris Trophy race

Evan Bouchard has six goals in four games, and the Edmonton Oilers defenceman just drew a 100-point forecast from Elliotte Friedman.

Friedman said it this morning on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, and he didn't bother hedging. "How is this guy not going to get 100 points this year?"

He backed it with a number of his own. Friedman said Edmonton is outscoring teams 11-1 at five-on-five with Bouchard on the ice.

Then came the punchline. Someone texted Friedman mid-game to drop the Norris Trophy talk and pitch the blueliner for the Rocket Richard instead.

Friedman laughed. But should he? Nobody on the Oilers has more goals, and Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are sitting on three apiece.

A defenceman leading Edmonton in goals is like the drummer grabbing the mic and singing lead. Odd, a little absurd, and nobody in the building is asking him to stop.

Last night in Anaheim brought more of the same. He scored twice, added an assist and buried the game-winner in a 5-2 road win over the Ducks.

Mike Babcock's Oilers keep winning games their goalies hand back

Bouchard logged 23:09 in that one, firing four shots on goal and finishing plus-4.

Across four games, he's up to 11 points and a +10 rating. Only McDavid, with 12, has more points on the roster.

And almost none of it is coming on the power play. One power-play assist, no power-play goals, which lines up with exactly what Friedman was describing.

That's what makes the $10,500,000 cap hit look smart. It ranks fifth among NHL defencemen, and right now nobody in Edmonton is complaining about the price.

Now the 100-point math. Bouchard needs 89 more to get there.

Here's the problem Mike Babcock can't ignore. Edmonton is 3-0-1 and sits first in the Pacific, but it has already allowed 16 goals.

Devon Levi owns all three wins with an .863 save percentage. Tristan Jarry is at .739 over three appearances.

Asking a defenceman to outscore that goaltending is a bad bet over a full season. Hot streaks cool off, and save percentages like those have a way of lingering.

The opener showed the risk, a 6-5 loss to Vancouver at home. Two nights later, the Oilers needed nine goals to get past the Canucks 9-7.

Depth isn't helping either. Zach Hyman is on injured reserve and expected out until at least Oct. 17, with Colton Dach out until at least Oct. 13.

The Oilers head to San Jose on Saturday riding a three-game win streak.

Friedman laughed off the Rocket Richard pitch. If Bouchard cools off before the goaltending heats up, nobody in Edmonton will be laughing.

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