Evan Bouchard's expected contract amount from the Edmonton Oilers has been revealed

Evan Bouchard, 25, has eight goals and 29 assists for 37 points in 50 games for the current campaign.

With 49 goals and 159 assists for 208 points in 315 career games, he's an elite blue-line scorer and first-unit power-play quarterback, but a future salary cap problem lingers if he's looking for a salary in a range over that earned by Darnell Nurse.

The statistics have him ranked as one of the league's best two-way blue-liners, but not everyone's buying in. Overall, though, he is a valuable player. What's a problem, though, is his future contract.

As a pending restricted free agent, according to reports, he wants a $9-$10 million salary, a price tag that could stretch Edmonton's salary structure badly enough for them to have to make a move for a less costly alternative in a future trade for him.

There's no sign Edmonton's actively trading him, but in case salary requirements become unreasonable, they may not have a choice.

That Mikko Rantanen trade, fueled by salary squabbles, re-shaped the NHL, meaning Edmonton could try testing out Bouchard's marketplace.

A decision, in any case, is in store for him, with his current contract set to run out in 2024-25, and even when he becomes an RFA, the Oilers have to make sure they've learned from their past mistakes, as they cannot lose another player to an offer sheet.