The Edmonton Oilers are back on the ice for the 2026-27 NHL season. Edmonton has high hopes for the upcoming season. Evan Bouchard and his teammates have lofty goals. And Bouchard made a huge statement on Tuesday night.

Bouchard scored a hat trick in his team's opening night contest with the Vancouver Canucks. He was a driving force of their offense in this contest. Unfortunately, it did not result in a win, since the Canucks claimed victory on Tuesday.

Still, it was a historic moment for the Oilers defenseman. Bouchard became the first defenseman with an opening-night hat trick since Mark Howe in 1980, according to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman. Additionally, he is the fourth active defenseman with at least two goals in a season opener, according to NHL Public Relations.

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Each of Bouchard's first two goals leveled this game. He tied it 1-1 in the first period, and 2-2 in the second. His third goal brought the Oilers within one goal in the third period. Edmonton forced overtime thanks to a Vasily Podkolzin goal later in the third.

In the end, it was all for naught. Paul Cotter, making his Canucks debut, scored his second of the night in overtime. This gave the Canucks a 6-5 victory in overtime, and a massive boost in confidence moving forward.

Bouchard certainly wants the win more than the historic moment. But he can look back at this performance with pride. He gave his team a chance to win this game. And if this performance is any indication, he is going to be a force in 2026-27.