Evan Bouchard’s Snub Is Raising Big Questions for Team Canada
The numbers around Evan Bouchard are impossible to ignore right now and yet somehow, they were ignored when Team Canada made one of its biggest roster decisions.
Bouchard is not just having a good season. He is driving games. He is tilting the ice. And he is doing it in moments that matter most. For Edmonton, he has become a central engine of offense from the blue line, a player who changes how opponents defend the entire team. And still, when Canada finalized its lineup, his name was left off.
That decision has sparked real debate across the hockey world, because Bouchard brings something Canada does not have in abundance. Elite, puck-dominant offense from the back end. His ability to run a power play, stretch coverage with long outlets and create chaos at the blue line puts him in rare company. Statistically, he sits among the very best offensive defensemen in the league, trailing only the absolute superstars of the sport.
Yes, the concern is defense. Bouchard is not known as a shutdown defender and his defensive metrics lag behind his offensive brilliance. That part is real. But modern international hockey is about possession, pace and pressure. And Bouchard excels at all three. When he has the puck, the other team does not. That alone is a defensive asset.
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Since being left off the roster, Bouchard has responded the only way elite players know how. By producing. Seven goals. Nineteen points. Thirteen games. Those are not empty numbers. They come with strong underlying play, positive chance control and game-breaking moments that swing outcomes. It looks less like a player trying to prove a point and more like a player calmly reinforcing what was already obvious.
Team Canada is still loaded. That is not in question. They remain favorites because of their depth, skill and experience. But by leaning toward safer, more conservative defensive options, they may have traded upside for comfort. In short tournaments, one power play, one breakout pass, one bold offensive push can be the difference between gold and disappointment.
Bouchard represents that boldness. That risk. And that reward.
If Canada runs into a game where they need offense from the blue line, where structure breaks down and creativity matters, this decision will be revisited again and again. Not because Bouchard was perfect, but because his impact is undeniable.
This story is not finished. And the pressure on Team Canada’s blue line just became a lot heavier.
Stay with us as this tournament unfolds, because decisions like this have a way of defining outcomes long after the puck drops.
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