BLOG: Bouchard, Nurse named to Canada's roster for Worlds

EDMONTON, AB – Oilers defencemen Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse have been named to Canada's roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship, set to be hosted later this month from May 15-31 in Switzerland.

Set to make his first Worlds appearance, Bouchard is coming off a terrific 95-point season of 21 goals and 74 assists in all 82 games, leading all NHL blueliners in scoring by a 14-point margin over Columbus' Zach Werenski.

It's the third-biggest difference in D scoring in the salary cap era behind Erik Karlsson (2012 and 2023), who won the James Norris Trophy in both years, but Bouchard wasn't named one of the three finalists this year for the League's top defenceman award.

Bouchard last represented Canada at the 2019 World Juniors.

Returning to Worlds for the first time in seven years, Nurse will bring a veteran presence to the blueline for Canada after last appearing at the tournament in 2019.

Nurse recorded two goals and two assists in 10 games for Canada in his last appearance, while earning a silver medal following a 3-1 loss to Finland in the gold-medal game.

Nurse played in all 82 games for the Oilers this season, posting seven goals and 17 assists in his seventh year as an assistant captain in Edmonton.