Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard will play his final year of junior hockey before rejoining the NHL team next year.
Bouchard, 19, is returning to the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, the Oilers said in a news release Friday.
A native of Oakville, Ont., Bouchard appeared in seven games for the Oilers this season, scoring his first NHL goal on Oct. 25 against the Washington Capitals.
Had Bouchard remained with the team, his entry-level contract would have kicked in at the 10-game mark.
The Oilers now get one more year to develop Bouchard, who is seen as a promising prospect.
Bouchard was the Oilers’ first-round pick, 10th overall, in the 2018 NHL draft.