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Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Oilers’ Bouchard & Hyman Deserve to Be on Team Canada

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Dale Bochon | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 3:10 PM ET

There are still two and a half weeks left before the Feb. 11 roster freeze for the Canadian Men’s Olympic Hockey team. For Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman and defenceman Evan Bouchard, that means there are five games left to show that they deserve to be on the team. As of right now, Hyman may have played his way into the conversation by playing at close to a point a game clip since coming back from injury on Dec. 1.

His chances may seem better than Bouchard’s at this time because of the status of injured forward Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who was hurt on Jan. 12. It’s still to be determined whether Point will be healthy enough. As of right now, all of Canada’s defence core are healthy, and the only way Bouchard could get added is if there’s an injury to one of the eight defencemen chosen for the team on Dec. 31.

Bouchard Should’ve Been Picked to Team Canada on Dec. 31

The obvious argument against adding Bouchard to the defensive unit for Team Canada is his tendency to give the puck up in his own zone. However, if you were to dig a bit deeper and look at Bouchard’s body of work over the past three seasons, especially in pressure situations, you’d see a different player.

Take, for example, the Oilers first round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings last spring. In Game 4, the Oilers were behind in the final minute and had their goalie pulled. Kings’ forward Quinton Byfield had the puck, and if he had put it in the neutral zone, you have to believe the Kings would’ve been heading back to L.A. with a 3-1 series lead and a chokehold on the series. Instead, Bouchard made an incredible play to keep the puck in the zone, and then went on to score the tying goal with 28 seconds left. The Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl eventually scored the winner in OT, and Edmonton never looked back. Bouchard’s defensive play was the turning point.

Hyman Deserves Serious Consideration

In last season’s 4 Nations Face-Off, Connor McDavid played well and was the hero in the final, but it wasn’t easy for Canadian head coach Jon Cooper to find linemates for the Oilers superstar. If Point, for any reason, is unable to make it back in time from his injury, you have to hope that Cooper, along with Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong and his scouting staff, will add Hyman to play shotgun alongside McDavid. Yes, there are other Canadian forwards worthy of the call-up, such as Connor Bedard, Sam Bennett and Wyatt Johnston. However, none of these players know McDavid’s tendencies like Hyman does, and know where to be on the ice when the Oilers captain has the puck.

Needless to say, Hyman may be a long shot considering how well Bennett played in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off and in the Stanley Cup Playoffs where he won the Conn Smythe Trophy. There’s still some hockey to be played between now and Feb. 11, and if another Canadian forward were to get injured, you have to believe Hyman’s name will be in the conversation for being the next man up.

Bouchard and Hyman Playing Great Hockey for the Oilers

The Oilers are currently sitting at the .500 mark on their current eight-game homestand. Despite expectations that they should have won all their games recently, the play of both Hyman and Bouchard has stood out lately. In the Jan. 24 back-and-forth affair against the Washington Capitals, Hyman had a goal and an assist and was plus-3 on the night. Bouchard, meanwhile, was all-world, racking up a hat trick and six points.

His most impressive play was in OT when he leaped up to intercept a pass, fell to the ice and still was able to get the puck to McDavid for the game winner. That play alone should give Bouchard Olympic team consideration, should an opening come up.

Big Competition For Team Canada Roster Spots

At this time, Hyman and Bouchard are on the outside looking in. Realistically, they have a slim chance of getting a call-up. Hyman would have to leapfrog Bennett and Bedard. And, Bouchard would have to beat out New York Islanders phenom Matthew Schaefer and the Capitals Jakob Chychrun, who also was very impressive in the Caps’ 6-5 loss to the Oilers on Jan. 24. There’s also the fact that Canada currently has a healthy defensive core, which means someone might have to go down in the next two and a half weeks for Bouchard to get a chance.

Whatever the case, whether you like Hyman and Bouchard or not, you can’t deny that their recent play has factored them into the Olympic Team conversation. If you watch the Oilers game in and game out, you’d understand that despite their flaws, they are still two of the best Canadian-born players on the planet.