DRAFT: Bouchard's production unrivalled

EDMONTON, AB - Players who have pulled on the green and gold of the London Knights know the expectation that comes with the jersey.
Add to that being a consensus top-10 pick at this month's NHL Draft and the captain of the Knights during a rebuilding year, then you have defenceman Evan Bouchard.
"As a leader I was just trying to lead by example, especially with the young and new guys coming in you have to make sure they know London has a winning mentality," said Bouchard to EdmontonOilers.com at the NHL Combine in Buffalo earlier this month. "I think once you have that in mind it's great and all the coaches have been through this process, so they really help you get ready for that next level."

In a 2017-18 OHL season where the perennial powerhouse Knights chose to deal their veterans to re-stock the draft cabinet, Bouchard was more than a consistent presence. He was named captain and took off offensively with 87 points in 67 games, becoming London's leading scorer by a 33-point margin and the league's highest scoring defenceman.
The 6-foot-2, 193-pound blueliner didn't let a spectacular individual season overshadow the progression of a London Knights team that overachieved after cleaning house despite being swept in the first round of the OHL Playoffs by the Owen Sound Attack.
"It was kind of like playing on two different teams, but I think I handled it pretty well," Bouchard said. "It's a tribute to my teammates and the coaching staff did a good job filling in the missing pieces. I think they did that with the young guys and we have a bright future in London."
The biggest NHL comparable? Washington Capitals defenceman and Stanley Cup champion John Carlson, which is synonymous for many reasons. Both are products of the Knights organization and put up near-identical junior numbers, with Carlson recording 76 points in 59 games. His 68 points in the NHL this season led all defencemen in scoring, and Bouchard could in time mirror those numbers and serve as a valuable power-play quarterback in the near future for the club lucky enough to call his name in Dallas on June 22.

Adapting to a faster, bigger NHL will be the goal for the Oakville, Ont. native this offseason to live up to expectations as one of the most NHL-ready prospects in this year's draft class alongside Barrie Colts right-winger Andrei Svechnikov.
"For me I think it's next season," said Bouchard of his NHL readiness. "It's a big jump and a big step but I'm really working hard this summer to be ready for next season and take it one step at a time. The main goal is to focus on getting ready for main camp and turning heads there.

"I think everyone's getting faster and everyone's a lot bigger at the next level, so I think once I get bigger, stronger and my skating improves to get to the next level everything will be good."