Team Canada’ defensive corps for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey took a hit Wednesday as it was announced that Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith will be unable to participate. Keith’s decision to pull out of World Cup of Hockey was one the Blackhawks supported.
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Keith withdrew from the tournament as he continues to rehabilitate his right knee.
This will be Bouwmeester’s 11th time suiting up for Team Canada in global competition.
Keith is still rehabbing a right knee injury he suffered last season, the Chicago Blackhawks said.
Bouwmeester had three goals and 16 assists with a minus-4 rating in 72 games last season. Both P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators and Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are right-shot defensemen, have been left off the roster still – but since both Keith and Bouwmeester are left shots, the team clearly found that this was an adequate justification.
The 32-year-old Bouwmeester was on the 2004 World Cup-winning squad, and has also won gold for Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the 2003 and 2004 world championships. The 33-year-old defender isn’t dealing with a new injury, but has chose to forego the opportunity to represent his country in September’s World Cup of Hockey to focus on strengthening his right knee, which was operated on last October to fix a meniscal tear.
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Keith – the 2015 Conn Smythe Trophy victor – is the second high profile player to drop out of the World Cup for Team Canada this week.
