Evan Bouchard absolutely torched the ice for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night, pulling off a feat in the team’s season opener that had been hiding in the NHL record books for nearly 50 years. This dude went full beast mode, becoming the first defenseman in the league’s entire history to snag a hat trick in a season opener since Mark Howe did it way back on October 9, 1980, for the Hartford Whalers. It was wild, even if the final score didn’t quite go their way.
Bouchard’s Historic Night: Goals, Assists, and Almost a Win
Bouchard, who’s only 26, put on an offensive clinic. He wasn’t just scoring; he was everywhere. He buried one goal in each period, showing that consistent pressure that makes opposing teams sweat. But he wasn’t done there, adding two assists to his stat line in Edmonton’s insane 6-5 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks. That second assist was clutch, setting up Vasily Podkolzin with just 43 seconds left in the third period to tie the game and force overtime. Talk about late-game drama! Yeah, the Oilers ultimately fell in the extra frame, which stings, but Bouchard’s individual performance was pure record-book gold.
Five Points From a D-Man? You Gotta Be Kidding Me
The hat trick was just the start, honestly. Bouchard also became the first defenseman in NHL history to rack up five points in a season opener. Five points! The only skater to put up more points in a season opener was Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kevin Stevens, who hit two goals and six points back on October 5, 1990. This guy’s not just a scoring D-man; he’s on another level. This latest explosion adds to what’s already been a remarkable offensive tear for Bouchard. Last season, he went off for a career-best 21 goals and 95 points across 82 games, solidifying himself as one of the Oilers’ most productive offensive defensemen. This was also only his second career hat trick, his first coming against the Washington Capitals on January 24, 2026. With this three-goal masterpiece, Bouchard now stands alongside Paul Coffey as the only defensemen in Oilers franchise history with multiple hat tricks. That’s some serious company to keep.
Even with Bouchard’s jaw-dropping, record-setting night, the Oilers won’t have much time to mope about that overtime defeat. They’re jumping right back into it, facing the Canucks again on Thursday for their second game of the NHL season. It’s a chance for Bouchard and his teammates to build on that opening-night performance and, you know, actually get the win this time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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