In the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-5 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals at Rogers Place on Saturday (Jan. 24) night, Evan Bouchard delivered one of the greatest statistical performances ever by an NHL defenceman.
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The Oilers rearguard factored on all his team’s goals, as he notched a hat trick, dished out three assists, fired eight shots on goal and finished the game with a plus/minus rating of plus-5. To provide a true sense of how remarkable those numbers are, here’s a look at how they stack up in both franchise and league history:
First Hat Trick by an Oilers Defenceman in 20 Years
Bouchard had one goal in each period of regulation on Saturday. When he scored for the third time, wiring a shot from the slot past Washington netminder Charlie Lindgren at 4:30 of the third period, he became the first Oilers defenceman to record a hat trick since Marc-Andre Bergeron scored three goals against the Ottawa Senators at Rexall Place on Jan. 14, 2006.
Besides Bergeron and Bouchard, the only other Oilers defencemen with regular-season hat tricks are Paul Coffey (who did it four times) and Risto Siltanen. Coffey holds the record for most goals in a game by an Edmonton blueliner, with four against the Calgary Flames on Dec. 26, 1984.
Additionally, Bouchard became the second Oilers defenceman to score three even-strength goals in a game, joining Coffey, who did it against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 31, 1985.
Six-Point Performance
With his three goals and three assists, Bouchard became only the 21st different defenceman in NHL history to record six points in a regular-season game, and just the fourth to do it since the start of the 1994-95 season.
This was the first time an Oilers blueliner racked up at least six points in a regular-season game since March 14, 1986, when Coffey tied the NHL record for defencemen with eight points (from two goals and six assists) against the Detroit Red Wings. Along with Bouchard and Coffey, Kevin Lowe is the only Oilers rearguard with a six-point regular-season game.
Before Saturday, Bouchard’s regular-season career high for points was three, which he had achieved 16 times. The Oilers blueliner does have a four-point game in the postseason, against the Los Angeles Kings on April 22, 2024.
Factoring on All 6 Oilers Goals
Bouchard scored Edmonton’s first three goals on Saturday, then assisted on the next three, including Connor McDavid’s winning goal in overtime. Bouchard made a phenomenal play to set up the sudden-death tally, as he knocked the puck down with his glove, then, while falling to the ice, passed to McDavid, springing Edmonton’s captain on a breakaway.
In the process, Bouchard became only the fourth defenceman in NHL history to factor on every goal when his team scores at least six times. The feat was last accomplished more than 30 years ago, when Al MacInnis of the Flames recorded a goal and five assists in a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The other two to do it are Doug Crossman and Bobby Orr.
In Company with the G.O.A.T.
Orr, of course, is widely regarded as the greatest defenceman in NHL history. The Boston Bruins legend set countless records, captured the Norris Trophy an incredible eight straight seasons from 1967-68 to 1974-75, was a three-time Hart Trophy recipient, won the Art Ross Trophy twice, and led his team to a Stanley Cup championship in 1970 and 1972 while being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy both times.
Orr was also the only defenceman in NHL history to record six points and eight shots in a regular-season game. Until Saturday, that is. Now that the exclusive club consists of Bouchard, Orr, and no one else.
Additionally, Bouchard achieved several stat combos never previously reached in a regular-season game by an Oilers defenceman. Those include: at least three goals and a plus/minus of plus-5; at least eight shots and a plus/minus of plus-5; at least three goals and three assists; and at least three even-strength goals and eight shots.
Most Points in Game 400
As luck would have it, Saturday’s game was No. 400 for Bouchard, which allowed him to make even more history.
Bouchard tied the NHL record for most points in Game No. 400, equalling forward Glenn Anderson’s three-goal, three-assist performance with the Oilers against the Blackhawks on Dec. 11, 1985. He also became just the second defenceman ever with a hat trick in his 400th NHL regular-season game, joining Dougie Hamilton (who did it in 2017-18 while playing for the Flames).
What will Bouchard do for an encore in Game No. 401? Oil Country will find out when the Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks on Monday (Jan. 26).
