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This just in, from early this morning:
Sounds like Evan Bouchard (EDM) is heading to Allsvenskan for the start of the season. https://t.co/q3EzP95nhb
— Jimmy Hamrin (@jimmyhamrin) September 8, 2020
Confirmed shortly after by the team itself, who also added that F Gaetan Haas’ rumored loan to SC Bern was made official:
The #Oilers have also loaned defenceman Evan Bouchard to Sodertalje SK of the Swedish HockeyAllsvenskan for the beginning of the 2020-21 season. pic.twitter.com/nB4ugZw7OS
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 8, 2020
Bouchard, the Oilers 10th overall pick from the 2018 Draft — , spent his first full professional season with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. By all accounts, he started slowly, but turned it well around by the end of the year, finishing with 7-29-36 in 54 GP. Most local pundits expect him to make the Oilers next season. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler has him pegged as the Oilers best prospect at any position, and compares him to Dallas’ John Klingberg. Klingberg has collected 58-233-291 in 425 NHL games to date, and added another 3-10-13 in 16GP in this year’s playoffs. Not bad:
Evan Bouchard (two assists tonight) is having a solid rookie pro season. I have a good feeling this guy is going to be real good for the Oil in the near future.#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/rKWM91dm2S
— Byron Bader (@ByronMBader) December 1, 2019
Bouchard is now one of many Oilers prospects to find work overseas with the AHL’s immediate future up in the air. He was loaned to Sweden’s second-best league, the Hockey AllSvenskan, because the top-tier SHL does not allow for NHL out-clauses:
SHL never allowed players without a existing contract to have an out clause. That's why Lavoile cant come to camp but Nygård can. Because he had a contract with Färjestad when he left for Edmonton.
— Kim Ulfström (@Ulfstrk) September 8, 2020