- Evan Bouchard has eight points through two games, a record for an NHL defenseman
- The mark he passed had stood since the league’s first season in 1917-18
- Read below for the numbers and video of his hat trick in the opener
Evan Bouchard just broke a record that had been sitting in the books since 1917.
Edmonton’s top defenseman added a goal and two assists in Thursday’s 9-7 win in Vancouver, giving him eight points through two games. No defenseman in NHL history has ever had more over his team’s first two games of a season.
Harry Cameron held the old mark with seven points in the Toronto Arenas’ first two games of the 1917-18 season. That was the NHL’s very first year. Bouchard tied Cameron in the first period Thursday and passed him before the night was over.
Most of the damage came in the opener. Bouchard scored three goals and added two assists on Tuesday, though Edmonton still lost 6-5 in overtime to Vancouver at Rogers Place. His third goal capped a burst of two Oilers goals in 24 seconds that pulled them within one in the third period.
Watch Bouchard complete the hat trick:
Thursday’s goal was a lot less pretty. Bouchard’s low shot came off the end boards, and the rebound bounced in off the skate of Canucks defenseman Tom Willander. It came 16 seconds after Owen Michaels scored his first NHL goal and put Edmonton up 3-0.
Connor McDavid stole the headlines that night with a five-point game, but Bouchard’s line was loaded too. Through two games he has four goals, four assists, a plus-5 rating and 10 shots on goal.
Check out the Oilers’ recap of the 9-7 win:
This is not coming out of nowhere. Bouchard posted career highs with 21 goals and 95 points in 82 games last season, and the 26-year-old is now playing under new head coach Mike Babcock.
The Oilers host the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, when Bouchard goes looking for a fourth goal in three games and a ninth point to stretch the record further.
