Evan Bouchard signed a four-year, $42 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. It has an average annual value of $10.5 million

It’d be easy to look at Evan Bouchard’s new contract with a gaping mouth. It’d be simpler still, now that he’s set to become the NHL’s fourth-highest-paid defenseman, to fret about what that means for the Edmonton Oilers’ chances of competing for the Stanley Cup not only next season but for years to come.

The Edmonton Oilers and Evan Bouchard came to an agreement on a massive four-year contract extension that will keep the standout defenseman with the organization through the 2028–29 season. According to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects,