Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard may have a difficult time making Team Canada for the 2026 Olympics. The star was previously left off of Canada’s 4 Nations team due to perceived defensive issues. Team officials ultimately selected fellow blueliners Colton Parayko and Travis Sanheim instead.
The shocking decision was immediately met with backlash from some Canadian hockey fans. Despite the protests, Canada went on to win the tournament in February in thrilling fashion against its bitter rivals USA. Because of the triumph, many fans and pundits believe Team Canada will likely select a similar roster for the upcoming Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Bouchard recently signed a four-year, $42 million contract extension with the Oilers in June. While the contract is not exactly massive overall, his $10.5 million AAV is certainly significant. In fact, the annual cap hit makes Bouchard the fourth-highest-paid blueliner in the NHL.
NHL Insider says Evan Bouchard is Most “Polarizing Player” on Team Canada’s Radar
GettyEvan Bouchard has struggled defensively to start the 2025-26 season.
Although the Oilers clearly value Bouchard’s offensive capabilities, Team Canada seems to feel that his defensive issues may not be worth the hassle. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun touched on this topic in his November 10 column. “There is no more polarizing player on the roster than Bouchard,” wrote LeBrun. “His greatest attribute, his power-play acumen, is diminished on Team Canada with [Cale] Makar taking up 90 seconds of every power-play opportunity.”
“On the other hand, as we saw with Makar missing a game at the 4 Nations due to illness, would it be prudent to bring him as insurance? The eighth roster spot for the Olympics affords that luxury, maybe? There’s also a strong connection there with Bouchard’s Edmonton Oilers teammate McDavid. We’re not sure where Team Canada will ultimately fall on this debate, but they’re having it.”
Not only is Bouchard trying to displace a Team Canada 4 Nations defenseman, but he also has to edge out other top blueliners. LeBrun has suggested that Noah Dobson, Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour, Morgan Rielly, MacKenzie Weegar, and Matthew Schaefer are all potentially on the cusp of making the team. It is safe to say that there is a logjam at the position for Team Canada.
Defensive Concerns Continue to Haunt Oilers Star
Bouchard has not exactly helped his case of making the tournament so far this season. The defenseman currently has just two goals and eight assists in Edmonton’s first 16 games of the 2025-26 campaign. He is also carrying a -11 rating, which happens to be the fifth-worst rating among all NHL players.
Along with a slow start with the puck, defensive woes are continuing to plague Bouchard. Mistakes by the blueliner essentially gifted two goals for the opposing New York Islanders on October 16. Edmonton went on to lose the game 4-2. After the game, the player took full responsibility for his poor play.
“I’m going to have to improve on that,” said Bouchard, as reported by ESPN. “You learn from it – obviously a lot of learning. Yeah, part of the game is forgetting good and bad, so move on, be ready next game.”
There is still time for Bouchard to show what he can bring to Team Canada. Officials are not expected to select their rosters for the tournament until January 1, 2026. Nevertheless, it seems as if the Oilers star has a clear uphill battle on his hands.
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