The Edmonton Oilers have struggled this year on the blueline as a whole, which has many fans concerned over their ability to make a push this post-season. However, they may be able to find some solace in this new stat that was released that shows just how impressive Evan Bouchard and Mathias Ekholm have been this year.
The chart shows that Bouchard and Ekholm are one of the top defensive pairings when it comes to expected goals for and expected goals against in the NHL this season. They are likely not getting the credit though, as Bouchard hasn't been very lucky in terms of actually finishing goals.
This could give Oilers fans some sense of relief moving forward that despite being pretty bad defensively this year, they have a pairing that could lead them deep into the playoffs. If the Oilers are able to add just a little more on the blueline in terms of a shutdown defenseman, they would put themselves in a great position come the end of the season.
However, they may instead be focused on finding another goaltender at the deadline instead of a defenseman. The Oilers will need to figure out who will best help them make a push into the playoffs this year, a defenseman or a goaltender.