SAN JOSE — Dictionary.com defines the word narrative as, "A story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious."

The Cambridge online dictionary deviates from that somewhat, defining the word narrative as "A story or a description of a series of events; a particular way of explaining or understanding events."

The Oxford Dictionary says this: “The part of a novel that tells the story, rather than the dialogue; a way of explaining events to illustrate a set of aims or values.”

For Evan Bouchard, the word has its own context altogether. His narrative states that he is lazy defensively, doesn’t care enough in his own zone, and is prone to The Big Mistake.

While a five-bell giveaway for a goal against gets way more views and reaction than a silky retrieval, the 26-year-old is now reshaping that narrative early this season into something more flattering.

“He just makes the right play nearly every time. His poise with the puck is just second to none,” Leon Draisaitl was saying after yet another........

© Sportsnet