The Conference Finals are over, the world’s worst Stanley Cup Final matchup is set, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about the Edmonton Oilers. On this week’s edition of Random Thoughts, I dove into Evan Bouchard’s injury at the World Championships, a wild Connor McDavid jersey auction, and offered my take on Kelly McCrimmon’s faux outrage about the Bruce Cassidy situation.

THOUGHTS TO EVAN BOUCHARD

After seeing Evan Bouchard get injured at the Worlds yesterday, there were a bunch of Oilers fans who rightfully wondered whether it’s even worth allowing your stars to participate in a tournament like that. I know it’s a bigger thing in Europe, but over here, there aren’t many folks who get locked in. But the thing about Evan Bouchard playing at the Worlds is that every Team Canada at-bat matters for a guy like Bouch when he was left off the Olympic roster back in February. I’m not suggesting he went over there for some kind of revenge tour, but I do think participating at the Worlds gives him a chance to build his resume and remind Hockey Canada what he can do. Before getting his bell rung, Bouchard amassed six points in eight games, showed elite puck movement, and acted as a weapon on Canada’s back end regardless of what situation was playing out. Whether the decision-makers needed the reminder that he’s pretty damned good or not, Bouchard was putting together the kind of tournament that should only help his case the next time Olympic conversations start up again.

And seeing Bouchard have some success over there was exactly what makes the way it ended so annoying. Not only was the hit a scary and reckless one, but he took one of the most electric players to watch out of........

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